Although it looks different today, even back in the Old Testament people were worshiping & serving other gods that they created; back then, literal statues, now of days, our "gods" come in all shapes and sizes. A certain celebrity, our own kids, a girl, SEX, the new plasma TV, cable or DirectTV, cold-hard-cash, your dream home, your dream job, your self, etc. We all have gods in our lives. And here's the kicker: everyone serves a god even if they don't serve your god. We all serve a "god" so much that it's usually easy to identify which "god" we serve because we end up with the same heartbeat as our god.

So, my point? My point is how do we know what "god" we're serving? Well, one way to test it out is by checking your pulse. Does your heart beat match your "god's" heartbeat? Like I said, we ALL serve a "god" whether we like it or not. It's just the way we're wired.

For those of us who claim that God, YHWH, is the One we serve, check out this passage of Old Testament Scripture and see if this "heartbeat" matches your own:

"But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need. Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin. Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need."
[Deuteronomy 15:7-11 (NLT)]

This instruction reveals a portion of the heartbeat of God. Radical Generosity. This should be a big portion of what makes your heartbeat. Is it?

Deuteronomy 15:7-11