preacher-girl

So, yesterday I got to be preacher-girl while My Beloved was ministering at a church a couple hours away. It's not my first time preaching but it HAS been a while so I had to pull myself together. God gave me some revelation into generosity that I shared.

Basically I used Mark 12:30 as my base text. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That word 'with'? It actually refers to an ACTION, not just a warm fuzzy feeling deep in our hearts.

So our generosity stems out of our LOVE for God. Just as God so much loved the world that he GAVE - we do the same. And we can show love {by giving} out of our whole heart, soul, mind and strength.

1. When we love out of our heart it shows up in our attitude. We have a big-life-Kingdom-of-God world-view. Open handed, not closed-minded.

2. Loving out of our soul is our soul-connections. Those relationships that God has intertwined us in that are deep. But we are generous with those people God has surrounded us with. Generous with our kids, our husbands, our pastor, our friends. Not squeezing them tightly in our hands, but offering them willingly to God's service.

3. When we love with our whole mind, that's our creativity, our giftings, our passions. Using our abilities to bless those around us.

4. Loving with all our strength reflects in the wealth that we earn by the strength of our hands. Not just money {though definitely money} but the material things we possess. Holding them open-handed before God and others. "You may use this because it belongs to God anyway"

Two other references I used were: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 and 1 Chronicles 29:10-14.

This message challenged me so I'm guessing it challenged those I preached it too. :)

My next preacher-girl appearance is in a week at this gal's church. This preaching stuff is a newer area of ministry for me {as opposed to worship that I've been doing for 14+ years} but I think I enjoy it a little bit. ;)

And now, I better head to bed because at 6:30am I put on my waitressing hat. God, give grace to this multi-faceted life you've blessed me with.