Give it Your All

Gabby Douglas. Michael Phelps. Kerri Walsh.

You know these names. They are some of the select number of people that are admired all around the world for their talent, skill, and dedication. Most of us stared in amazement as we watched them excel in the Olympics this summer.

And while we cheered, they tear up as they accepted their Gold Medals. They are overwhelmed because in a moment’s time all of their hard work and sacrifices were worth it all. Every morning they woke up before the sun, followed strict diets, and passed by opportunity after opportunity to hang out with friends and have relationships, all for that 1 in 1 million chance to stand on the podium and accept the Gold!

When I look at these people I begin to see the parallel between an Olympian and the Christians God intends us to be.

Kerri Walsh, beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist says, “Passion is a huge prerequisite to winning. It makes you willing to jump through hoops, go through all the ups and downs and everything in between to reach your goal.”

An Olympian’s life is consumed by the fact that they are an Olympian. They sacrifice their diets, their time, realtionships, and more because they are so devoted to their sport and dream!

Paul says in Philippians 3:7-9- “7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in [a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

Any Olympian, when interviewed, almost always talks about the dedication and sacrifices it took to get where they were. It was a struggle, it was a fight, but it was worth it.

Can you say the same about your walk with Christ?

Jesus says we are to “take up our crosses daily and lose our life” (Matthew 16:24-25) and he says those who does not give up everything cannot be my deciple” (Luke 14:33)

Just like you cannot be an Olympian without giving up everything in your life to reach your goal, so you cannot be a Christian without giving it all!

Today, look at your life. Look and see what you are doing to be close to and serve God that is actually a sacrifice to you.

Are you denying yourself time spent online, watching TV, and with friends to pray, read your word, and seek God?

Are you denying your body and fasting?

Whens the last time you didn’t buy another pair of shoes so you could bless someone else?

There are many incredible promises of God in his word. However he never promised being his disciple is easy.

It is the narrow path for a reason!

He never promised it would be easy, but he promised it would be worth it!

Matthew 7:13-14-  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Age Doesn't Matter

“I’m not old enough to do that” is the excuse we use when we are younger.

Then we get older and say “I’m too old to do that.”

Between these excuses we have only a small window of time that we allow ourselves to let God lead us to WHATEVER he has planned for us!

I believe that God ALWAYS wants to do a new thing in our lives no matter how old we are! We just have to make sure we are listening!

All throughout scripture we see the phrase “He who has ears lets him hear”! God knows that in order for us to receive his words and guidance not only does he need to be talking but we need to be a place where we are truly listening (and willing to HEAR whatever he has to say)! 

When I was a kid I remember asking my mom for permission for many things. Certain questions, however, I could not finish because as soon as my mom heard a word she did not like, she would stop and give her answer “NO” before I even finished asking the question.

If you are a mom I can guarantee you have said to your child at one point or another, “ Stop…I already know where you are going with this and the answer is no.”

Often more times than not that response is in fact true and appropriate but then there are times when it was wrong. Where you assumed the question and weren’t really listening to what your child was asking!

I believe we do that with God too. As soon as we get the feeling he is calling us to be involved or more involved in ministry, or giving money to a ministry or missions, etc. we say no before we even let him finish! You think in your heart “ I already know where he is going with this and the answer is no.” And often the excuse that follows the answer no has to do with your age! You think I’m too young or I’m too old to do that for God!

But I’m here to tell you today that God does not care how old you are! He cares about his plans being fulfilled!

The next time you think your age is stopping you from getting involved in or starting a ministry for God remember this…

David was the youngest son of Jesse when he was called to be the King of Isreal! (1 Sam 16)

Jeremiah estimated to be about 17 years old when the Lord called him to be a prophet to the nations!

            “‘Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ ‘Ah Lord’, said Jeremiah, ‘I do not know how to speak I am only a child’. But the Lord said ‘Do not say you are only a child you must go everywhere I command you to go and say whatever I command you to say…I have put my words in your mouth’ “ (Jer. 1:5-10)

Mary was about 13 when she was chosen to be the Mother and care taker of the Son of God. (Matt 1:18-24)

Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born. (Gen 17:15-21; 21:1-3)

Sarah laughed when she hear the angel tell Abraham the news about them having a child. She couldn’t believe it because she was past the age of childbearing.  She thought she was too old but she gave birth the Isaac the start of many generations of God’s people “At the very time God had promised her”. (Gen 18 &21)

Joshua was still conquering grounds and fighting battles at the age of 85!

“So today I am 85 years old. I am still as strong as I was when Moses sent me out; I am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then!” (Josh 14:10-11)

The bible says “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2). God needs his children seeking his plans at every stage of their lives in order to fulfill ALL of the plans he has for us to do!

"Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert” Isaiah 43:19

Look what the Lord has done

Have you ever looked at a picture of an old friend and are flooded with memories? You can be all alone and start laughing out loud as you recall old jokes and embarrassing moments the two of you shared. It’s as if they just walked in the room and you went back in time!

It feels good to remember and be flooded with old feelings of great times and moments.

Even better than remembering fun times with old friends, it’s great when you are brought back to encounters you had with Jesus!

All throughout the Bible the children of God were constantly building alters, setting up monuments, and putting together festivals to remind themselves of the encounters they had with their God.

They were intentional about keeping reminders of times they had with God with them so they would never forget all that he has done for them!

In Exodus 25 the Israelites are commanded to make the Ark of the Covenant. It held the 2 tablets of the 10 commandments, Aaron’s staff, and a gold pot filled with Manna.

God wanted his people to carry this ark with them so they would be constantly reminded of the times that he met with them and performed signs and wonders in front of them.

In Joshua 4:19-24, Joshua sets up a pile of stones on the dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River. He did this so anyone who saw the rocks would be reminded of the miracle of God parting the waters. Joshua says he did that “so that the people of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” (vs. 24)

Lastly the Israelites celebrate the Passover feast to remember the night that the Lord saved the firstborn children from the angel of death (Exodus 12)! They are commanded to celebrate the Passover annually to never forget the great miracle of the Lord!

We see through God’s pattern of scripture how God wants us not to forget times in our lives when he changes as and dwelt among us.

This generation loves taking pictures and videos of everything. Why? Because they don’t want to forget people, events, and memories. We are so careful to never miss moments we encounter with friends and family, but we do nothing to remember even greater moments we encounter with God!

I am convinced that people fall away from God when they begin to forget all that He has done for them. Satan tries to get them to forget the powerful encounters they have had with the Spirit of God and tries to downplay the miracles they have experienced. That is why it is important to be intentional about remember what the Lord has done in your life!

When you remember what God has done and relive moments and experience feelings of encounters with God, there is no denying that he is alive and powerful!

I challenge you today to do something, do anything to help yourself remember encounters, revelations, and miracles God has done in your life! Keep a symbol, write a poem or song, journal about it, create an art piece and keep them somewhere special!

Whenever your faith is running thin and you think God isn’t with you, look back and remind yourselves of all God has done for you!

1 Chronicles 16:12- Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced!

We are to remember all that God has done in our lives and respond in worship, and use our testimonies to show others the power of God!

To pray or not to pray?

 “What’s the point?”

This is a question that many, including myself, are always asking.  If someone is asking me to do something, especially something that takes time and effort, I would like to know what will come of it, before I spend my energy on it!

If people see no purpose behind something, chances are they will not give it much thought, time, or effort.

This is why it is important for us to understand the purpose and results of prayer. I am convinced that many Christians do not spend time in prayer not because they don’t have time, or just “don’t feel like it”, but because deep down they don’t think it really matters.

To many of us it is just a ritual, but we don’t truly see it as the weapon that it really is.

The bible says in James 5:16 that The Prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective!

Abraham prayed and pleaded with God and saved the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18)

Rachel prayed and God opened her womb, after being barren, and she gave birth to Joseph; the future ruler of Egypt. (Genesis 30:22-24)

Daniel prayed and the mouths of lions were shut. (Daniel 6)

Prayer is the strongest weapon we as Christians have, for prayers move the hand of God! Knowing this we must have faith that when we pray God not only hears us, and moves in our situations!

But we must also understand that God’s version of praying may not be the same as yours! 

We as a culture have made prayer to be something done in a few minutes before a meal, bed, or a scary situation. Something done half-heartedly and quickly!

Prayer is to be treated as neither! Anytime prayer is mentioned in scripture it is described as an aggressive act that is given much time and attention.

Acts 6:3-4- says to “be attentive toward prayer

Col 4:2 says to “devote yourselves to prayer”

2 Thes 5:17 says to “Pray continually” (without ceasing)

Once you understand that prayer is not a ritual or passive activity but rather a weapon of the spiritual realm, you must make every effort to use that weapon!

Satan is a smart enemy and will try to distract you from your most powerful weapon! Be on guard!

E.M Bounds explains this perfectly-

“It is so easy to be seduced by good to neglect the best. How easily believers, even leaders of the church are led by the deceptive wiles of Satan to cut short their praying in the interest of the work! How easy it is to neglect prayer or abbreviate our praying simple by the excise that we have church work on our hands. When he can keep us too busy to stop and pray, Satan has effectively disarmed us”!

To be an overcomer we HAVE TO see prayer for the weapon that it is and use it consistently and aggressively in battle, not letting Satan or anyone, or anything distract us from it!

I challenge you to start spending a little more time, having a little more tenacity, and having more faith in the power of prayer and start seeing how God moves!

Matthew 7:7- “He who seeks, find, and to him who knocks, the door WILL be opened”

Stop Talking

Have you ever met someone who thinks their God given gift is to talk?

Immediately you pictured someone in your head!

There are just some people who love to talk about everything!

One thing though almost everyone loves to talk about is what they want to start doing!

Our generation loves talking about what we want to do! We want to lose weight, become more organized, or become better at managing our time and money. We speak things that we want to happen but then we never do anything about it!

As Christians we do the same thing with our walk with Christ!

We tell Him (and ourselves) that we want to grow in God, we want to show people His love and power, we want to be set free from our sins and struggles, and we want to be closer to Christ.

But we don’t do anything about it!

Galatians 6:7- Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man will reap what he sows.

We as a generation have become deceived into thinking we can

 have answered prayers without praying, we can grow in God without spending time with him, we can pour into others, without being poured into first,

or worst of all that we can have eternal life without taking up out cross!

Our God is a god of grace absolutely, and he is always doing things for us that we did not and cannot earn or deserve.

But we also cannot live like God will hand us everything. God cannot be mocked. We will reap only what we sow.

If you want to see prayers answered get off your computer, turn the TV off, stop being distracted by the things you like and get on your knees! There are some things we will not see or receive until we learn the power that comes from getting on our knees and tarrying in prayer! (Matthew 17:21)

You want to be set free from the grip of sin? Start speaking scripture over yourself, get into the presence of God daily and let the Spirit of God drive out the spirit of the world! (Galatians 5:16-26)

You want to reap eternal life and be a child of God? Go take care of orphans and widows, love your neighbor, obey your parents, worship Jesus and seek God to find out how intends to use you for his kingdom! (Matthew 25)

Be a person of action! Be someone God can count on…

Someone that God can say “Well DONE (not well meant, well dreamt, of well thought out)…well DONE thy good and faithful servant!

Stop talking! Start doing!