A Sermon before the Sermon
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 18:2,3
It’s a Sunday morning and business as usual in the sanctuary. I serve as an usher so one of our duties is to collect the offering. About a month ago as I was going down the aisle I noticed a little boy as he could hardly contain himself. His Dad allowed him to put the money in the basket. With a big smile and leaning forward, eyes fixed on that basket he “cheerfully”, without hesitating, put the offering in. Looking at his dad, his expression was one of “It’s easy for him to give, after all it’s not his money”. At that moment I realized I just “saw” a sermon, I just had a glance of “The Kingdom of Heaven”
The Bible teaches us that everything we have is from God and we are His stewards. We also read the God loves a cheerful giver 2 Corinthians 9:7. When I saw that little boy, so excited to give what really belonged to his Father, I thought to myself “that puts things in perspective”. How often does greed creep in and cause us 
to think “it’s mine, all mine”? I think the difference is when we give cheerfully our Father in heaven has a different attitude when saying; “after all, it’s not his money”. So become like a child today and get a glance of Heaven on earth, I think you’ll like it, I do. – Rob Russomano is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves on our full-time staff.
Team YOU: Isaiah 35-36; Proverbs 4; Ephesians 6
Motivations: God does not have to come and tell me what I must do for Him, He brings me into a relationship with Himself where I hear His call and understand what He wants me to do, and I do it out of sheer love to Him…When people say they have had a call to foreign service, or to any particular sphere of work, they mean that their relationship to God has enabled them to realize what they can do for God.Oswald Chambers
Practice to Remember: Level 1: James 1:5-6; Level 2: James 1:9-18
Powered Up: It is not so true that “Prayer changes things” as prayer changes me, and then I change things; consequently we must not ask God to do what He has created us to do. – Oswald Chambers
Freedom Fighters 
oh Rob, this is right on for me today…I just realized a didn’t give my tithe the month of Aug. (I get messed up being down there & not at my home church) well that will wipe my account dry & ya know you question sometimes & fret..Lets just say I wasn’t feeling joyful about it. so what then would God have to bless? So thanks for changing my attitude…Hope its ok a girl leaving a comment on your devo.