Proverbs 23:26
> “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
That single verse is a tender invitation.
God doesn’t demand—He asks. He reaches out His hand and says, “Give Me your heart.”
Not your résumé, not your reputation, not your records of what you’ve given or done—just your heart.
This morning’s message is titled “Hand Him Your Heart.”
That’s really what stewardship is all about—not what God takes from us, but what we choose to place in His hands.
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The Body of Christ
Before we dig into the main thrust of the message, I want to take a moment to reflect on something familiar—the analogy of the church as the body of Christ.
What is that body, according to the New Testament?
Think about it. What we have here this morning is a body—the body of Christ—the church.
And the church isn’t made of bricks or cement. The church is you and me.
Every part of the body plays a vital role, an interconnected function.
Imagine your lungs deciding to stay home this Sabbath. After all, they’ve been through a lot—fumes, smog, and pollutants. But if our lungs stayed home today, how long would we last?
Eyebrows—those little bushy things riding above our eyes—do they serve a purpose? You bet they do. How about toes? Who needs toes? Every part, no matter how small or hidden, has its function.
So it is with the body of Christ.
Now imagine your arms suddenly deciding to become active—waving, wiggling, moving every which way—and then your legs decide to join in. With all that motion, could the rest of your body stay still and lifeless? Of course not.
Here’s a principle worth remembering: Life stirs up life.
Say that with me. Again.
Life stirs up life.
Zeal stirs up zeal.
Courage stirs up courage.
Power generates power.
And on the other hand—sin stirs up sin.
Unfaithfulness kindles unfaithfulness.
Doubt breeds more doubt.
Weakness creates weakness.
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A King’s Face in Stone
You may remember the old Hawthorne story about a kind and wise king who died, beloved by his people. They honored him in two ways: they carved his face into the side of a mountain, and they vowed never to crown another king unless he matched the goodness and wisdom of their beloved ruler.
For years they searched, until one day they found him—not in a palace but in a humble house at the mountain’s base. He was a man who had grown up gazing at that noble face. As a boy, he had studied it day after day—and, over time, he became like it.
There are two lessons there.
First: when we look long enough at the face of the King of Kings, we become like Him.
Second: greatness stirs up greatness.
What was that principle again?
Life stirs up life.
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Relationships that Shape Us
Relationships never stand still. They’re not static—they’re always moving. Every interaction leaves us either one step closer or one step further from the goal. Every relationship changes both people in it. I’m not the same person since knowing you, and you’re not the same person since knowing me.
In every church I’ve pastored, I’ve met good and godly people. I remember them with deep gratitude because they stirred me up to righteousness.
Looking back, I marvel at the patience of those who could’ve broken me with criticism—but didn’t. Their courage, faithfulness, and zeal stirred something alive within me.
And it works both ways. What about you? What do your family and friends stir up in you—and what do you stir up in them?
Are you stirring up goodness, kindness, compassion, and love?
Because relationships are never neutral. They always influence the direction of the heart—and nowhere is that more true than in the body of Christ.
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Stewardship and Sanctification
Today, we’re going to talk about Christian stewardship.
Contrary to popular opinion, money is a spiritual subject. Over 700 times the Bible speaks directly about it—and hundreds more indirectly.
The principles that govern Christian life also govern how we handle money.
Here’s what I mean.
Justification is when you realize you can’t save yourself, and you trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection as your only hope. The moment you accepted that gift, you were justified before God.
But that was just the beginning. Sanctification began right then—a process of becoming more like Jesus in every part of life.
Sanctification affects your diet (and everybody said, Amen!).
It affects your sexual outlook (Amen!).
It affects your language—you shouldn’t cuss as much (Amen!).
It affects your witness at home, at school, and at work (Amen!).
It affects your Bible study habits (Amen!).
It affects your family relationships (Amen!).
And yes—it should affect your pocketbook.
(Now wait just a minute! You’re going too far, preacher!)
See what I mean?
We often apply sanctification to every area of life except our finances.
But God’s work of grace is meant to touch everything.
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God Wants You—Not Your Money
Let’s turn to the Word.
2 Corinthians 8:5:
> “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
2 Corinthians 12:14:
> “For I seek not yours, but you.”
Acts 4:32:
> “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own…”
God loves you—not your stuff. He wants your heart before your hand, your fellowship before your finances.
What kind of church needs to raise money through raffles, bake sales, or endless fundraisers?
Be careful how you answer—because those are usually the churches that haven’t grown spiritually mature believers. Churches that have lost their hunger for the Word and their passion for souls. Churches where giving is a burden, not a joy.
But real Christian giving is a grace.
It grows from hearts on fire for Jesus.
God doesn’t want your money—He wants you.
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The Macedonian Example
Paul gives us a beautiful picture in 2 Corinthians 8:1–7.
The Macedonian believers were poor, afflicted, and persecuted. But their giving was so joyful and generous that Paul said, “I call your attention to the grace of God bestowed on them.”
They gave beyond their ability, out of deep poverty, with abundant joy.
How did that happen?
Because poor giving doesn’t come from material poverty—it comes from spiritual poverty.
If you have food, you have something to give.
If you have clothes, you have something to give.
If you have a roof over your head, you have something to give.
And if you have Jesus—you have everything to give.
Illustration:
Sodium and chlorine are both deadly poisons—but put together, they form table salt.
That’s God’s chemistry. He takes affliction and poverty, mixes them with joy and love, and produces the riches of generosity.
The Macedonians didn’t give because they were begged to—they begged Paul to let them give. They wanted to join in the fellowship of helping others. Their giving wasn’t squeezed out of them—it overflowed from within.
Illustration:
A city boy once visited a farm and learned to milk a cow. When asked how much milk he got, he said, “None—she didn’t give any. I had to squeeze every drop out of her!”
That’s how many churches give—reluctantly, painfully, and with little joy.
But the Macedonians begged to give. And that’s why Paul called it “the grace of God.”
Their revival spread across the land. People heard about them and prayed, “Lord, send that kind of joy here too.”
Their giving made unbelievers want to become Christians. Why? Because generosity reveals grace.
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First Gave Themselves
What was their secret? Paul says it plainly:
> “They first gave their own selves to the Lord.”
Once you give yourself, the money question is simple.
The real offering God wants is your devotion, your trust, your service—you.
As the hymn says:
> Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Any consecration that doesn’t reach your wallet hasn’t yet reached your heart.
When you give yourself to Jesus—completely, unreservedly—giving becomes joy, not duty.
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The Heart God Desires
Do you really think God just wants ten percent and He’s satisfied?
The Pharisees tithed faithfully but still crucified the Lord of glory.
God wants your heart.
David said in Psalm 51:17:
> “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”
God doesn’t want empty rituals or mechanical tithes. He wants spiritual sacrifices—repentance, love, surrender, and obedience.
Without that, even our offerings are distasteful to Him.
So He says in Isaiah 1:16–18:
> “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings… come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord…”
The gift that pleases God is a heart gift.
No amount impresses Him; only the motive does.
If our giving flows from love and gratitude, it delights Him.
But if it doesn’t flow from surrender, it grieves Him.
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Conclusion – Hand Him Your Heart
What God truly wants is your love, your praise, and your day-by-day walk with Him.
He wants your trust, your obedience, your surrendered will.
Once He has your heart, everything else follows naturally.
So hand Him your heart.
Place it—willingly, joyfully—in His nail-scarred hands.
When you do, you’ll find that everything else—your time, your gifts, your resources—flows freely from that one surrender.
Because when you hand Him your heart, you stir up life—
in yourself,
in the church,
and in the kingdom of God.
Life stirs life. Grace stirs grace. And hearts surrendered to Jesus stir revival wherever they go.
