Are You Giving your All... or Are You Giving at All?

This is a great topic to start off with, seeing as my last post was March 2018. I could give excuses and reasons why I have not been on here, and there have been many times where I started to come on to post, and I didn't... Am I giving my all, or am I giving at all? On this blog, clearly not... in life, I would hope I am giving a lot, but yes again, clearly not all... which isn't enough. God has challenged me to share and encourage others in the truth of His Word, so I will be more frequent in these postings (I hope)!

I have also been challenged these past couple weeks listening to sermons and messages that God was speaking to me and through me. I am a teacher through and through... but this also means I am a learner too! As of March 2018, I have enrolled in a Bible College and I am working towards an Associates Degree, and then a Bachelor of Theology. I have started putting the #lifelonglearner on posts I have made. I enjoy the Word and learning more about the truths found within it. I have been a "Christian" or Christ-follower for 4 decades... that is so crazy (in a good way) to me! But each time I read, or hear, or teach a Bible truth or account, God reveals Himself to me in a whole new way! I know for NEW BELIEVERS hearing the truth of God and the miracles found in His Word and the reality of salvation and Holy Spirit, etc is exciting, scary and motivating all in one. The fire and zeal of a New Believer are unbelievable and seemingly unquenchable. We as believers (especially those 20+. 30+, 40+ or even 50+ years) can become complacent or comfortable. We have gifts inside of us that are still unopened, or maybe the wrapping was taken off, but they are still unused. Some we may have opened at one time, and maybe even tested them out, or used them once or twice, but we have gifts inside of us that haven't been used to their fullest capacity. 

This week we were challenged by a Pastor who is the Youth Director of the PAOC (now I was a part of the PAOC for many years, and I came to experience the real God and Holy Spirit in a PAOC church and PAOC ministry events). Pastor Wayne Giroux spoke to the PAOC (& other denomination) Jr Youth, Sr Youth, Pastors, Leaders and Parents (& friends) at a Youth Rally. He spoke on "WHAT IF", and used the Bible account of the "Feeding of the 5000+". Now as I said above, I have been in the church and heard Bible accounts, and even taught Bible accounts many many times. Each time is somewhat similar but differs according to the speaker, the theme, the lesson, the audience/congregation/group being spoken to. The Feeding of the 5000 is an account of one of the miracles of Jesus, where Jesus doesn't just call down the answer from Heaven, but He uses His disciples. He has them do the "dirty work" and search and seek out what is needed, and then He blesses it, and God does the miracle through them and their obedience and their faith. When hearing the story for the first time, you could be like 'ya right, I am so sure that only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish could feed that many people. Ya sure, like everyone got a teeny piece of bread and fish'... but the Bible says "They all ate as much as they wanted..." (Mark 6:42 NLT) and another translation says "So they all ate and were filled." (NKJV). (and there were 12 baskets of leftovers for each of the disciples). So most people think this was a miracle about food. In Sunday School or Junior church, you get crackers and goldfish... or something along those lines and the teacher tells the story (as I have done so many times) and shares the truth of the miracle of being broken and given out. In some translations, it just says the disciples brought back 5 loaves and 2 fish. In other translations, it says that a little boy gave his lunch. So then you sometimes teach or hear about being prepared. That boy's Mama was a part of the miracle that day as well, as she sent her boy with lunch to help him through the day, and he gave his lunch and was blessed by the miracle as well through his obedience. BUT... in all my years of reading, hearing or teaching this Bible account, I have never heard the revelation of 'what about the others'. Pastor Wayne shared with us the reality that others were there WITH food... but they didn't give it to the disciples when they went around asking for it. After the miracle was performed (for lack of a better word), how many people looked into their satchels and saw the loaf or the fish or whatever food they had hiding in there and realized what just happened. How many of them thought, "What if"... "What if I gave all I had?" 

God is asking the same from us. What are we holding back from God? We all have unopened or unused gifts...  Pastor Wayne challenged the youth (and us as Leaders), WHAT IF... we stopped holding back from God? WHAT IF... we stopped worrying about what could go wrong and focused on what God could do right? Inside you may be the answer to cancer, or something not as huge, but if you keep it inside instead of giving it to the world, what good is it? What good is God's Word of truth if you don't open it or read it?

I am reminded of a song from my youth, "What if I Give All" by Ray Boltz... (don't mind the 1980 style video, read and listen to the lyrics). The video is about giving monetary items... but it is the same meaning. The account of the feeding of the 5000 is in the song too.  (This song opens in a new window, so you can listen and then return to read the rest.) 

While I was searching YOUTUBE for that song, I found another song that I have never heard before from Casting Crowns called "What If I Give Everything"... WOW! The words are amazing... may you be blessed as you listen to these 2 songs! Maybe you can sing along with the lyrics of this second song... "Why am I still standing here. Why am I still holding back from You? I hear You call me out into deeper waters, but I settle on the shallow end. Why am I still standing here?"

I am even singing these words with you, as I have unopened/unused/gently used talents and gifts inside as well (but I am ENDEAVOURING to use more this year). I am hopefully not in the shallow end, but definitely not as deep as I could go. Remove the fear, remove the doubt, stop listening to the lies of the enemy, stop listening to the dead giants around you, listen to the voice of the Father, and step into the deeper waters with Him. Just like the promise He made to Joshua, He makes the same one to YOU (to us)... "No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you." (Joshua 1:5 NLT)

Are YOU Giving Your ALL... or are YOU even giving AT ALL? Look in your pockets or your 'satchel'... what is there that you can GIVE? Make sure you are giving something... but most importantly make sure you have a relationship with this God that I am talking about. Make sure you experience Him for yourself. WHERE ARE YOU STANDING? You cannot get saved from just my salvation story. YOU have to know Him, feel Him, see Him, hear Him & experience Him for yourself. Are YOU swimming with me in SOMEWHAT DEEP water? Are YOU drowning? Are YOU standing in the shallow end... or are you just standing on the sand... or have you even made it to the "beach"? Take this time to STAND with God, wherever you are in your walk! He will help you go deeper. He will challenge you and take you to new heights and depths in Him. So as God also told Joshua, BE OF GOOD COURAGE! 

#BeBlessed2BeABlessing