2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

God is a cheerful giver who gives not grudgingly and we should be that way too. When the Bible tells us what God loves we should take notice. This scripture tells us that he loves a cheerful giver. The word cheerful in the Greek is "hilaros" this is where we get our word for hilarious. This word also means prompt or willing. Many believers seem to struggle in this area for various reasons. Many site some ministers monetary indiscretions or past abuses of a church. However, I think the main reason people are not hilarious givers is a spiritual problem called "cirrhosis of the giver." Cirrhosis of the liver happens when people drink alcohol. Cirrhosis of the giver happens when God’s people are not consistently full of the “New wine” of the Holy Spirit. In the natural a person who drinks alcohol occasionally will rarely get cirrhosis of the liver. It usually only happens to people who are addicted to alcohol and are constant drinkers. The opposite of this is true spiritually. People who occasionally experience God's presence in a church service or prayer develop spiritual cirrhosis of the giver. The Bible says in Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Believers who are full of the Holy Spirit will be full of Joy. Their joyful giving is an expression of the nature of God at work in them. So here's the good news for the stingy, penny pinchers who grudge the word offering. Come to the well that never runs dry and drink deeply of God's presence. Ask God today to fill you afresh with his Holy Spirit and joy unspeakable and full of glory will be your portion. Cirrhosis of the giver will be a thing of the past and giving will be a blast!

Joh 3:16 (AMP) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

God is a giver and giving is part of his nature. His giving heart was revealed in his greatest gift he ever gave. When God gave us the gift of Jesus Christ he gave us his very best gift. God takes pleasure in giving. When he gives he is never stingy. He is the El-Shaddai the God who is more than enough not the El-cheapo! David the great psalmist and king of Israel wrote of how great God is a giver. God is a God of overflowing blessings! Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Giving is such a part of God’s nature it would be unlike God not to give. God is such a giver his goodness overflows on the just and the unjust! Mat 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. As believers in Jesus Christ we should reflect the nature of our father who is a giver. So the next time the opportunity comes to be a blessing through the act of giving remember to imitate your father and give!

2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

"Awe man the battery's dead" was the first thing I said when I tried to start my new bright yellow Camaro convertible. I usually only drive it on weekends. I realized that the battery was dead from lack of use. The alternators job is to recharge the battery when the engine starts, but if I don't use the car it can't charge the battery. So I went to the local auto parts store and bought a trickle charger to re-charge the battery. In the process of doing this God spoke to my heart about our spiritual battery. As believers in Jesus Christ we must continue to use the gifts of God that he has given us and stay connected to our heavenly power source. If we do this, we can stay charged with the power of God in our lives. There is an old saying that goes like this "Use it or lose it." Now God does not take back the gifts he has given us when he gives them for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. However, those gifts can be like my dead battery if we do now use them. Sometimes a battery is not totally dead it just needs a "Jump" from another vehicle. Calling a friend or prayer partner and asking for prayer can be just the spark you need to get moving again in the will of God. As in the case of my battery it was totally dead and needed a "trickle charge" overnight to be renewed. If this is the situation you are in you can be recharged by daily praying in the Holy Spirit, studying your bible, attending church regularly, fellow-shipping with other believers, mediating on God's word, sharing our faith with others, and daily worship. The Bible says in Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. That sounds like a spiritual "trickle charge" to me! As we daily practice these disciplines of our faith we will charge up and stay charged with the power of God so that we might finish our course with joy and victory!

Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

"Were gonna get you Joey" the possessed man cried out! We had been praying with a couple who had been having demonic manifestations in their home. After many sessions of prayer it was revealed to us that the man we were praying with had ten demons. During one of these prayer sessions the demons screamed out threatening me. The threat was meant to incite fear and anxiety in me. That's what the devils words do if you receive or believe them. Being on fire for God and very zealous for the Lord the threat had the opposite effect on me. I got so excited and shouted to the others praying "did you hear that? The others in the room attentively looked at me. I said "Jesus I know, Paul I know and Brother Joey I Know." I then continued commanding the demons to release the man in the name of Jesus. After this experience I got to thinking about what had happened. The demons know if you are for real in the realm of the spirit. How is your reputation in hell today? Is the devil on nerve pills because you woke up this morning? Is he on edge because you walked into the room? The seven sons of Sceva had a rude awaking to their spiritual condition when they tried to deal with a demonic spirit. I want to encourage you today to get on fire for God and as I found out you will be known in the realm of the spirit.

1Co 6:20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

"I'm no Good and not worth anything" I said to the Lord in prayer. The Lord spoke to me and said "How much am I worth?" I said "Lord who can put a price tag on you. You are God and you are priceless!" He said "That's right! and I gave my life for you so how much are you worth."I was a new believer and was thinking about my life of sin when I spoke these words in prayer. The Lord taught me a great lesson that day. When you buy something, you value the thing you buy more than the money you trade for it. God loved us so much that he gave his only begotten son to die for us. Friends you are God's treasure. Don't ever let someone's degrading attitude or condescending words or thoughts about you make you think you are worthless. Don't ever think you are worthless because of the life of sin you have lived. If you take a twenty dollar bill and drag it through the mud and slop it never loses its value. All you have to do is wash it and it can be used anywhere. Every man woman and child has been valued by God as priceless through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We all have been dragged through the mud of this world. So ask Jesus to wash you and cleanse you with his precious blood and his holy word. He will make you a brand new creature in Christ. Remember, you have been appraised by God as priceless!

Psa 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

"Snake" the voice said. This wasn't the voice of God I know his voice. It was the voice of an angel warning me. I was walking to my above ground pool in my yard to check the ph in the water when I heard the warning. I immediately looked around on the ground and I didn't see a snake. So, I proceeded to the pool to get the sample of the water. After I obtained the water sample, I turned around to head back to the house. I noticed out of the corner of my eye a large black snake coiled up by the gutter down spout next to my air conditioning condenser. It's head was under the condenser and I was later to find out it was laying eggs. I grabbed a shovel and snuck up to the snake and struck it very quickly. Now, I have to be honest, I'm not like the wilderness guys who say "Oh look at this snake he's a beauty." I don't like snakes! Indiana Jones and I have something in common. Well back to the story. The snake was about six feet long and the shovel caught him right in the middle. His head was whipping around as he was trying to escape and attack. I realized I needed another shovel to control this snake but I couldn't let Go. So I called my wife over to hold the handle. She started screaming "Oh my God!" "Oh my God" AHHHHHHHH I can't do this!" I tried to comfort her but said the wrong thing "Don't be afraid God warned me of this poisonous snake." She started screaming again "Oh my God" AHHHHHHH and after much encouragement from me she did grab that handle. She kept the pressure on that snake and did not let him get away. I was very proud of her because she was like a brave wilderness woman. I retrieved another shovel and killed the snake. I was so thankful that the angel of the Lord warned me about this snake and was praising God for his protection. Remember Child of God that the Lord has his angels watching over you keeping you from harm.

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

"I have come to minister the presence of God to you." the voice said. It was a Sunday morning and I was ironing the wrinkles out of my shirt when I suddenly felt the presence of God. The angel of the Lord was there with me and the presence on him was powerfully felt by me. My first thought was "where is that in the Bible"? Scripture began to come quickly to my mind. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was strengthened by the angel of the Lord. In the Gospel of Luke chapter twenty two and verse forty three the Bible says "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." I also remembered Jesus was ministered to by angels after his wilderness experience when he overcame the devils three temptations. The Bible says in Matthew chapter four and verse eleven "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." Here in my kitchen while I was ironing my shirt was an angel of the Lord strengthening me. Be encouraged child of God. Father God has got angels on assignment for you.