"The Blessed Life" = Toilet flusher

A friend recently lent me a copy of this book, and although the subject matter interested me, the delivery felt like a sham.  An entire tract on obligatory giving, rules, and regulations.  My 10% isn't good enough if I pay my cell phone bill first?  Wait, it's not the heart anymore?  It's literally the order that the world views our actions in which we're judged?  And we're supposed to give with the idea that financial blessings are guaranteed back to us?  Give me a break.

God knows the first fruits of our heart, and there's no such thing as a fruitful giver whom has expectation on his return.  Giving isn't an investment, it's an acknowledgment of our position before God.  Some people may be able to benefit from this book if the goodness of giving is a hurdle for them.  It all felt like an unnecessary anecdote to me, though.  It's a pretty slippery subject for one as potentially biased as a pastor to write on.  I doubt his motives were impure, I just know Jesus said, "it is better to give than to receive", and that's enough said, in my book.