Try this little exercise. Point at the screen right now. Look at what is happening as you point. One finger is pointing forward and three fingers are point back at you. God's got a great sense of humor in the little things. We all do this every day but need to take a look more at the three fingers point back at us. GUILTY!
Recently, I saw where someone who was attending our church commented on social media that our pastor Dr. Chris Stephens and said, "All he ever talks about is money." If that person or anyone wants to criticize a pastor today, they never need a reason. They really miss what is being said because they get turned off with one or two words and miss what is really being said. Time and time again, I hear Dr. Stephens say, "We want more for you than we want from you!" Or, "God can do all things without your money but know that what is in your heart is where your relationship with the Lord really lies. That includes your finances."
Quoting Dave Ramsey, "God has given us more than 800 Scriptures about money."
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Tough for many people to swallow. Yet our church has a 90 day money back guarantee . If you follow Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
So to say the least this person and others who point to the pastors, who step on our toes, need to see that they are guilty three times worse of errors in their life.
Realize that the goal of having a strong relationship with the Lord of the Universe is to accept His Son, listen and read His word with an Open seeking mind, serve wherever you can (there is so many areas where you can serve), and give what the Lords asks and that goes beyond the Old Testament of 10%. Everything here is a heart issue and not a command. If you have a problem with that then you really need to look at the three fingers pointing back at YOU!
So as you end 2013, take a look at your new resolutions (goals) for 2014 and try to quit pointing fingers but instead strive to learn how to make a difference in the lives of everyone by encouraging instead of tearing them down with your social words!
