The Heart Bank of Jesus...

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) I remember learning how to use my first bank account. It was a hard lesson

to realize that unfortunately, I could only draw out and spend whatever amount I had first put in. Rats! I never carried cash because I spent it far too quickly and it made me feel guilty when it was all gone. Checks were almost as bad. Although I kept subtracting from the total amount, I inevitably forgot to enter one or two, and the balance would be off when the statement came. And then along came the debit card, the worst of all! Who has time to check online to see how often that little piece of plastic has been swiped or chipped? And now, God help me, there is Amazon “Buy with 1 Click,” the all-time worst offender. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’ve ordered when the boxes come and I’m continually surprised when I look at my bill, staggered by the total! Money is just too restrictive! Ha! 2Cor.1:21-22 is hope for the hopeless! Here’s a banking system I can wrap my arms around! My Ever-Loving Father has put a deposit into my heart that can never be overdrawn! The Joyous Spirit that lives within me and marks me for His own, has given me an endless supply of the fruits of His Spirit! And what, exactly, are those fruits? What can we withdraw and spend without ever depleting our supply? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Of more worth and value than any currency in the world, are these nine precious gifts! Because we love Him, we can spend lavishly and without fear. We are a prayer away from replenishing our supply! We spend, He deposits! How lovely! When we look through His eyes, and listen with His ears to the cries of those around us, we can’t help but be moved to show compassion and Spend a little Jesus! How could we not share this wondrous gift?! Proverbs 11:24-25 says, “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” We can never outspend the riches of God! He guarantees us that He will never leave us or forsake us, and because of that, the flow of His good gifts will pour into us as long as we pour out to others. Don’t you love that? The exchange rate is outrageous and the bottom line continues to grow! When you open an account at The Heart Bank of Jesus, you are given unlimited access to the CEO of Heaven! The Bank is open 24/7, and the service is impeccable. There’s no need to ever check your balance, because “as ye sow, so shall ye reap.” If the things we do out of love for God are considered our treasures in heaven, then I want to be sending up the right building materials for my mansion! “Store your treasures in heaven…Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:20-21) Not only does he give us the desires of our hearts, he supplies us with the “Love-line of Credit” to do what we need to do in His name. We get to keep the riches, we get to keep the interest, and best of all, we get the unending JOY that comes from Spending a little- or a lot - of Jesus! My earthly bank account may ebb and flow, but my heavenly one is overflowing! Thank God that His love pours over me in times of plenty and in times of want! I may struggle at times with my material needs, but The Heart Bank of Jesus will never allow my heart to be overdrawn. Love each other, my friends. Embrace this life for the joyful journey it is, but always be mindful that others may not be feeling that joy. Sorrow and sickness, loneliness and desperation, hurt and helplessness are hiding behind smiling faces everywhere we turn. Make a withdrawal from The Heart Bank of Jesus and spend it in this world! The blessing of it all is that He gives us what we need to do exactly that! He deposits, we withdraw, we spend, He deposits… what an abundance of riches! “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over…for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) Your heart will overflow with His Spirit, your joy will be magnified, and your days will take on a new exuberant feeling of hope! Cherish the opportunity! Start spending your “Love-line of Credit” today! Guaranteed by The Heart Bank of Jesus…NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!