Are we truly giving God all He deserves?
Last night at a Prayer meeting I attend, one of the leaders in our Men’s Ministry prayed a prayer that struck me and challenged with a few phrases :
“God Help us remember it’s all yours, everything” – We in America in 2009 (soon to be 2010) are in much the same position that the Israelites have been in at various points in their history as a people. We have been blessed and at first, we thank God, then we forget that it came from Him and stop thanking Him. We are so selfish and want our stuff and will fight against anyone that dares try and take it away (including God). If it is taken away, we throw a fit, like a spiritual three year-old. I am as guilty as the next person, in that I often fail to thank God for everything and remember that it’s His anyway. Another tip, before we move on is something I learned during my Crown Financial class – you will never worry that something is going to be taken away if you are aware of the true owner and willing to give it away…
“Help us to give you all areas of our life, our thought life, our sex life, everything.” Paul tells us to “take every thought captive”. EVERY THOUGHT. We tend to give God what’s left after we have taken what we want and or/completely messed it up. Francis Chan wrote a chapter in the book “Crazy Love” based on Malachi 1:6-14 called “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God”. (for a little more about it, click here…)We have lost sight of the fact that God’s desire is that simply give Him all that we are. This passage states that God would have rather seen the Jews stop offering sacrifices than to see the weak, blemished, inappropriate sacrifices they were giving. Are we doing that in our worship and in our lives? In writing this section, I ran across this message form FBC Kinnard, Texas that is very challenging. The speaker asks the question “What part of ALL do you not understand?” – tough, but simple words.
“God, help us to make our desires to be ALL IN for you” In Poker, the term ALL IN means that every last penny is riding on the hand that we have. EVERYTHING! God has given us an opportunity to all in for our service to Him. He does not force His will upon us, He invites us to join in what He is doing. However, like stated above, He desires all or nothing. We have to trust Him (not our wallet, our 401k, Wall Street, or the Government) to supply our needs and to supply opportunities to glorify Him. I heard a story today that a local University math teacher recently accepted Christ during his battle with brain cancer (now in remission!). He purchased personalized Bibles for all his unsaved friends for Christmas, and is having a party at his house and inviting the pastor who lead him to Christ so that they can hear the gospel the way he did! He wants them to be in heaven with him. That’s awesome!