A Giving Nature

The Shocking Message



These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008. They were written by a Godly lady for other ladies young and old so that their walk with the Lord may be strengthened.

Used with permission from New Beginnings Baptist Church.






What kind of a "giver" would you consider yourself? What kind of a "giver" would others say you are? In answering that question, with what ruler were you measuring yourself? Was it done in comparison to others and the way they give - or don't give? Did you come out being able to answer "I'm a good giver!" after comparing yourself only to those who might be poor givers? Or in answering that question, did you compare yourself to the greatest giver of all, God Himself? Let's look today at the kind of "giver" that the Lord is…

James 1:17 (KJV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Isn't it interesting that James fit this verse into the first chapter of his book immediately after writing about trials and temptations and how to handle them? He obviously understood that one of the ways the devil tries to deceive us into losing hope and falling into manifold temptations is by first getting us to believe that God is a lousy giver. Yes, Satan wants to convince us of the lie that God holds out on us! The sooner we realize his sincere efforts to trick us, the less likely we will be to fall for them. We are lured into temptation because we suppose there is something better for us in the "forbidden fruit". Like Eve, we doubt that God really wants to grant us happiness or pleasure, and so we seek it out for ourselves.

Ladies, once you start to doubt God's goodness and His character as a giver, you are more easily attracted to the offers of Satan himself! The devil wants us to believe that God is not a giver at all, to cause us to lose hope in our trials, and to cause us to treat ourselves to a little temptation every now and then! Don't fall for your enemy's sneaky tactics… We need to recognize the Lord as the giver He truly is – One who bestows GOOD and PERFECT gifts! Let me say that these are the only kinds of gifts God knows how to give! If it comes from God, it must be good - even if we don't see it that way. What makes it good is WHO it came from, not who received it, or how it was given, or even the form it came in - such as a trial, perhaps. God makes the gift perfect and good because HE is the originator!

Psalm 119:68 (KJV)
Thou art good, and doest good....

I don't know if you've ever done this before, but when searching for a gift for someone, I usually take a moment to pray before I begin my quest for the perfect present. I say, "Lord, you know the best gift for this person, please direct me to it and help me to pick out what would be just right for them." Many times I have had the recipient tell me after opening their gift, "This is just what I needed! I was just praying for this the other day..." It's such a blessing when that happens, because I received not only an answer to prayer for direction, but the other person received the "perfect gift"! Yes, God is perfect in His giving; therefore, we can be too! On the other hand, all benefit is lost to the giver when giving is accompanied with a grumbling heart…

2 Cor. 9:7 (KJV)
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The next part of our opening verse says, "and COMETH down". This is descriptive of the kind of giving that never stops... Scripture doesn't say, "and CAME down", so that it sounds like it happened once and is now over. It's an active giving! Our God gives to us constantly, over and over again. Even when we don't recognize His gifts, the Lord is still giving them! His character as a giver is not hindered by our ability to understand His giving. Do you only give to those who will appreciate your giving? Are you able to give repeatedly in spite of someone recognizing and/or acknowledging your giving? Sometimes we are called to give like that in our homes, aren't we ladies? Sometimes our husbands and children are slow to recognize our contributions or slow to make their own. The question is, will we stop because of that? Will you carry a grudge with your gifts? Or will we purely keep on giving because of the condition of our hearts as givers…

Matthew 6:1 (KJV)
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Even if others are unable to witness your charity firsthand, do you still furnish blessings anyway? Just what is your generosity rooted in today - receiving something in return? Praise or glory, perhaps? That is certainly NOT sacrificial giving; it is giving simply to get! Its manipulation at it's finest, and it's SIN. A cheerful heart is not a substitute for an obedient heart. Our hearts should be both faithful and cheerful, because we give the right gift with the right motive. How often have you given to your husband, dear wife, in order to get your own way somewhere else?? Check your purposes for giving… Our verse says those good and perfect gifts come down "from the Father of LIGHTS"; there should be no darkness attached to our benevolence, the darkness of manipulation! Give with a pure heart; a heart controlled by the Father of lights!

1 John 1:5 (KJV)
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Think for a moment how often you've held back in your giving because of the condition of the one who would receive your endowment.... Perhaps you've purchased a nicer gift for someone you really liked, and a lesser gift for the person you weren't so crazy about, possibly nothing at all? If so, do you realize that your giving hinges on the character of the receiver, and not on God's character prevailing within you? In essence, you are nothing more than a "conditional giver". Ladies, in times like these, we must remind ourselves of Romans 5:8 and how God gave…

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, Christ died for us.

This should be our attitude as we give! You see, it's possible for someone to give in a manner that is less than loving and only out of necessity. However, not only is everything God gives good, the WAY God gives is also good; it's a token of His devotion…

John 15:12-13 (KJV)
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Just as there is nothing we can do to earn God's gift of salvation, there is also nothing we can do to lose it! Unfortunately, there are many false doctrines being taught today proclaiming that salvation can be lost. It would be against God's character as a giver to take back what He freely gives! Would that be your track record?

2 Timothy 2:13 (KJV)
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.

(see also Romans 8:38-39 and 2 Tim. 1:12)

Even though man is fickle and we might change in our beliefs, our feelings, our attitudes, AND our giving, the Lord does not embrace the slightest shadow of change! He cannot change for the worse because He is holy. He cannot change for the better, because He is already perfect…

James 1:17 (KJV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

What happens when others sin against us, hurt us, disappoint us, and fail us? Do we change according to their sinful nature or do we remain givers, according to the character of God dwelling and reigning within our hearts? When we sow sparingly, we will reap to the same proportion. If you've been discontent with your dividends, check your investments! Ladies, if you and I are rooted in the Lord, we CAN give - and continue to give - in spite of the shortcomings of others! Don't be a worldly giver; realize today that if you've been born again, you possess the Divine, GIVING nature of God. Hence, as a believer, there are no legitimate excuses for poor giving habits. Our heavenly Father is a consistent giver and so must we be!

1 Cor. 2:12 (KJV)
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

2 Cor. 9:6 (KJV)
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Lastly, take a moment to mull over God's goodness in your life... I'm so glad that the Lord gave to me in spite of my not understanding what His death meant on Calvary, the ultimate sacrificial gift. I'm so glad my heavenly Father gave to me even when I did not recognize myself a sinner in need of a Savior. God's giving didn't change based on my unawareness or appreciation of His sacrifice. No, God's giving didn't depend on my character at all. It was based on HIS character, on HIS love for me! I was unworthy to receive God's good and perfect gift; yet my Father still gave to me! I lived many years of my life never noticing the many ways that God was giving to me every day and yet He remained constant when I did not ever praise Him or once acknowledge Him. I'm truly thankful the Lord gave so freely to me; how could I not care to learn how to become a faultless giver? A giver like God Himself.... Won't you join me?

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website