Giving , what God says about giving ?

God continuously speaks to us but we doubted His word sometimes, and He has to use other means to confirm His word and eradicate our doubts.

Currently, I was doubting God about giving material gifts & money, because some of the people whom I've given help in material help, here in this town of Balikpapan, turned indifference, like it was a complacency as if they deserved the gift because they presumed, I had a lot of money, and thus I should give !.

The fact was, I had the same average money like many other people had, my earning as pastor was about Sin$2000, however the difference was not in the amount of money I that a person has but in the willingness to give away. And that makes the difference as, I am willing to let go all I have, and give all my money for someone in need, as and when I had the desire to give...

Nevertheless, looking at some of the receivers in Balikpapan here, whom I thought might have "abused" me, I thought may be I should stop giving or at least halted it, and only give to those deserving my gifts. So, I started to list down a qualification list, who should qualify to receive my gifts of money and material things. On one side of my mind, I felt good because I will only give to "good people", but on the other side of my heart I felt terrible, like something was not right, I felt grieved, but I did not know why I felt that way, there is a tug of war inside me. And, I heard a very clear voice in my heart "Camille" ! a name of my dearest friend.

This morning, God made me read about what Jesus did after the miracles, and the particular part that struck my heart was: Matthew 9:7-8 So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. (in other words: go home to your family, do not need to follow me (as most likely the man felt thankfulness and wanted to follow Jesus), my gift of healing is for you to enjoy with your home / family)). Jesus gave the gift of healing to that person who did not deserve the gift, he was a sinner, like every one else’s.

Then, suddenly I received an email from Sister Camille, telling me she received some words from the Lord in regards to my giving. The Lord is pleased with the way I had been giving. And I jumped in joy because God had just spoken to me what I should do: “do not qualify the people whom I should give, but just listen to the desires of my heart”. I never told anyone about this problem I was having, a struggle about giving, only my wife knew this, but apparently Sister Camille was told by God !

And, here I am now, I am coming back again the same John that God want me to be, to listen to the desire in my heart: "to continue giving, and do not need to worry who receive the gifts, but continue to obey that desire in my heart to give". Sister Camille, you gave me this word of prophecy is just in time, the right time, the right moments when I needed it most, when I was confused and your word of prophecy was to confirm the word, that I should continue giving and giving, and never to qualify who is the recipients, and whether the recipient/s deserve or not deserving. Because, when I give, I should believe it that I give it to God, and not to men.

You know what? None of us is good, and none of us deserves anything good, we all deserve death because none of us is without sins, and yet God came as a man, gave His most beloved gift of all: Jesus Christ, and died on our behalf, so that we all may live today, simply by receiving HIM, and we shall live and live more abundantly. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus, thank you God, and thank you sister Camille, and especially I want to thank my wife, Aileena, as without you, I will never know and believe in the power of giving. Giving does not only benefit the recipient/s but most of all benefit the giver (Luk 6:38); because when I give, I only use my measure of wealth to give, and when knowingly that the recipient/s cannot repay me back, Now God is the one who will repay me back but not in my own measure now, it is according to HIS Glorious Riches in Christ Jesus (Php 4:19)… And How Rich is God ? Wow…no words can describe how rich God is???? it is unmeasured-able by words…..it is limited only by our own imagination.

Luk 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Php 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

John God bless you!
What a wonderful testimony of your obedience to doing that which the Lord had given you to do. The devil tried to stop you from doing the one thing that you had been used to doing. God uses different ways to open the eyes of unbelievers and many times He will use money and gifts to do this.

When I got the word of knowledge for you I had no idea what was going on in your life. I just prayed in the Holy Spirit prayer language and the Lord spoke the words to me for you.
I am just so glad I was obedient to give them to you and it opened up the way for you to know the truth!
God bless you a very wonderful teaching for all to read and learn from.

The Joy of the Lord is our strength!