Hold Nothing Back!

How often do we try and fit God into our box of expectation? We become comfortable with our human limitations and comprehension, and we have no desire to change or reach beyond that point. Many accept Christ as their Lord and Savior because they want to dodge hell and have God on their side. It's a vain pursuit at self-gratification with no thought of obedience, sacrifice or relationship. They give God the areas they want blessed yet hold onto areas they desire to control.

They love the part about heaven, eternal life, blessings, forgiveness of sin and the love of God, but when you explain the path to freedom is holiness, purity, crucifying the flesh, trading your dreams for His plans and the covenant relationship of the tithe....YIKES! This can become a game changer for some, and they begin to argue that we are saved by grace and by no work of our own. That's absolutely true, there's nothing we could ever do to deserve Salvation or the amazing Love of God but once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we need to begin to study the Bible to understand what God desires from us.

To fully appreciate and enjoy the Salvation experience, we must surrender COMPLETELY to His plans for our lives. It's not about what He can do for us, though His blessings are limitless, it's about seeking Him for direction and allowing Him to stretch and shape us into the person He created us to be. People get angry when churches teach about tithes and offerings but the truth is, if you can't get people to commit the tithe covenant with God and trusting Him with their financial security, they will not be able to surrender completely to Him. As you begin to trust Him in that area and you see how He provides, rebukes the devourer and takes care of you, it will become much easier to surrender the other areas you thought you could handle. Then as He calls you deeper into His purpose for your life you will have faith and you'll be prepared and equipped to listen, obey and surrender. Don't hold anything back!

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Romans 6:19 (NKJV) I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members asslaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. Romans 6:16 (NLT) Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Malachi 3:8-11 (NKJV) “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;