This past Sunday’s church visit would have been complete (perfect in God's will) if only the guest speaker hadn't utilized his last few minutes asking 50 people to give $500 dollars! That’s right $500 a head! In order to get a blessing from God, at least the extraordinary kind, he was urging the church to pay $500! If God was anything like man, then to get a blessing from him is expensive! Most of us would start bargain shopping – looking for churches that don’t ask for that kind of money.
Now I am not one of those stingy, cheap Christians who don't believe in giving to the Lord, because I do, but I am not one of those blind, ignorant Christians who think that every time they spend money for the Lord that God will give them twice as much back. Can I tell you that God doesn't always give his blessings back in the form of money? So when you get down and out and don't have any money for your rent because you gave it to the church, don't get mad at God or people around you because they won’t help you!
You see, I have received fabulous gifts over the years because I gave to God, but I didn’t always give money. I gave kind words, tips, clothes, food, service, etc. And in return God gave me “blessings running over…running over…pressed down shaken together running over!” That was the song the choir sang before the guest speaker came on stage. There was no music playing when he was asking for money. It's funny how churches play some good music during offering time. I always felt they do this to make you feel good about what you just done especially for those who didn't have it to give in the first place!
Listen, I can't give God what I don't have, but what I can do is say, "If I had, I would." Then when the opportunity comes to give and I have it to give, I pray then I am obedient to the spirit and I’ll give. There have been times when God spoke to me and told me to hold on to my money and I was glad I did because it was very much needed. Sometimes I will make a pledge to give and when I have the money I will pay to the church, a charity, or some other organization. But keep in mind that is just like another bill you have to manage and if you haven't balanced your checkbook in awhile and lately you have been getting frequent overdrafts, I wouldn't recommend pledging. To pledge is like a promise and God expects you to keep your promises!
But back to the man who was speaking at the church, don't get me wrong, the spirit was moving so much in fact I lost control over my feet and let a lot of my personal issues go. What I mean by that is I was one of those people you may have seen in the church, standing in place running or dancing in the spirit while others were looking like, "What? Why?" I have never understood completely why every now and then God moves on me like that especially since there was no music at that time to make me dance. As far as I remember it was quiet. What I do know is that sometimes God is sending a message to some people in the church when he uses people around them to do something strange, supernatural, etc. maybe it's to shake their spirits up!
Now when I was back and centered in my mind, the preacher who had been in the spirit, became a man in the flesh. He was simply a man and he had a need like those in the audience, money. So he caught many people on an emotional high and said what some ministers do, "The Lord told me that 50 of you can give $500. I know there are 50 of you out there, come on up here! God is going to shift your life...God is going to..." God was going to do a lot of stuff for $500! He needed this money for a conference in his homeland I guess. The truth of the matter is he didn't provide any specific details, nor did he have a flier to give to anyone, and no one put his information or the conference up on the teleprompter.
I noticed the Bishop's face as his guest speaker was beckoning the crowd to give, he didn't look too happy as far as I could see. His head was down for awhile almost in shame. I would think so since the Bishop had so many projects, almost too many, that needed money. There is a building that hasn't been touched in years on his property and he hasn’t had enough money to get it completed, but this guest speaker from another continent shows up and shows out! Not only that, he was taking money back to his homeland that should have stayed in the church!
This is a prime example of why as pastors, ministers, bishops (whatever the title) you don't often leave your church up to guest speakers, assistants, and other people especially if they ask for 15 more minutes! The shepherd of this church is frequently gone and the wolves tend to swarm the church while he is out. But this time, because he let this man run over a little more than he should have, his flesh got in the way of the spirit and he took some much needed money with him.
So how does this story apply to your life? You may be the leader of the household finances in your own home, but you have left your money to be managed by your wife, children, relatives, and anyone else who has their hand out telling you to, "Give..." The problem is we are in an economic crisis and if you aren't smart with your blessings, someone or something is going to come by and say, "God said...God told me..." or even worse they just may rob you of your finances when you aren't looking!
Open up your eyes and be more proactive in what is going and coming out of your bank accounts. Know whether your partner is being honest about what they are spending on themselves, you, and the children. Take the time to remove anything in your budget that isn't necessary! And above all else, pray and be sure that God is really in the plan and you are not just on some emotional high writing checks to everyone just to make yourself feel and look good!
God bless you!
Written by Nicholl McGuire
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