GIVING 100%
Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
It was a terribly hard hike. Opening morning brought 10" of fresh snow and below zero temperatures. It was so cold that the waterlines under the cabin had broken overnight.
I left camp with three friends that morning, with the intentions of getting to some meadows along Miller Creek, a couple of miles from camp. My first friend gave up after a half mile and by the time we were a mile out, I was by myself. I pressed on as I wanted to be overlooking the meadows by daybreak. It was hard and cold, but I pressed forward, knowing that unless I gave it my all, the months of preparation, the money spent and time away from home were all a waste.
As first light broke I was looking into the creek bottom and there below my position were a dozen or more elk. After a few minutes of glassing the timber around the bottom I found a good bull and before the sun broke over the mountain, my hunt was over. It was hard, but by giving everything I had I was rewarded.
Vince Lombardi, the famous coach of the Green Bay Packers once said, "There's only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything."
That was true in football, but its true in everything, including our spiritual life.
As Jesus lowered Himself to wash his disciple's feet He said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35) At the time they didn't know what He was doing and argued that He shouldn't be doing it. But Christ was the perfect example of what we should be...
Christ gave 100% of himself in everything He did, even to the point of death. If we use His example we will give up our lives daily. If we do this, by putting others needs above our own, many people will see that we are different from the world.
God wants our all... He didn't hold back 90% when He sent Jesus to die on our behalf. He doesn't want 10% of our money, our efforts or our love.. He wants 100%.
Some will argue that there is no way they can give 100% of their finances to God... but we must realize that 100% is already His. He just allows us to use it. When our hearts are set on giving 100% back, He will reward us like never before.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
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