Acts 5:4 “Didn’t the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven’t lied just to people. You’ve also lied to God.” (KJV)

Are you keeping part of you to yourself?

Money is a strategic weapon. You can use it to accomplish great things. However, the enemy can use it against you.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows. (TVT)

Read the entire story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. They had an opportunity to be a blessing. The enemy used money as a weapon against them. They passed on the blessing to keep money that was already theirs. In the movie “Ghost”, there is a scene where Whoopi Goldberg has to give a check to a nun. She was being forced by Patrick Swayze to be a blessing to the church. As Whoopi  was giving it to the nun, she still had a tight grip on it. Her heart was not in it.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. (AMP)

Money is your weapon against the enemy when you give unto the Lord, as long as you give it cheerfully, wholly, and completely. If you don’t give with the heart God requires, you jeopardize your effectiveness and you cut off your blessings. You cannot waiver.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (KJV)

You can’t receive anything from the Lord when you are not willing to give. What is causing your reluctance? Do you actually think you can do more with your money if you don’t give? You can’t. Do you actually think you can do more for yourself than God can? You can’t. Don’t allow money to be your goal.

Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (KJV)

Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:

Father, I’ve sung the song, “I Give Myself Away”, more times than I can count. When I began to sing that song, I did not take the time to dig below the surface to understand what I was singing. I repent for holding on while I was giving myself away. I was giving, yet sometimes I was thinking about what I could have done with the money. I was calculating to the penny what the tithe should be. I have learned to give my time, talent, tithe, offering, goods, and services. I have learned to give my all. I give according to Your plans, not mine. I give to meet Your goals, not mine. I can’t wait to give. I give with joy and hope. Please do whatever You need to do in my life, through my life, and with my life. Now that I truly understand what it means to give to my life to You, I give all of who I am, with my whole heart withholding nothing…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here: