Do We Give Our All?

 YouTube Channel Video Devo

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“Do We Give Our All?

Mark 12:41-44 NIV

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

 

Recently, for our family devotion time, we read this passage about the widow giving all that she had.  I have read this story numerous times in the past and am reminded of how powerful of a message it is showing us that giving our all in life is so important.  I’m reminded of how crucial it is for us to truly give our all in every single thing we do in life.  So often it’s easy for us to just give minimal in our efforts to various commitments. 

 

I think about the religious leaders and other rich people who felt a sense of pride for throwing large amounts into the offering.  I’m sure they had a puffed up ego feeling all good about their so-called generosity.  However, the widow is amazing not only because she gave the least amount, but also that she gave everything she had and ended up giving more than them! 

 

This makes me consider how often I honestly put in 100% effort into the things I do each day and how much I commit to my relationship with God, my family, church and friendships that I have.  When I consider the widow, I often wonder how God wants me to give more in certain situations. 

 

Guess who else gave their all?  There’s many other examples in Scripture, but the best example every is Jesus Christ Himself.  He literally gave it all.  Just like the hymn, “Jesus Paid It All”.  No one in history could ever give what Jesus did.  Jesus gave His life to give us life. 

 

I think we all need to start asking ourselves each day, “Do we give our all in our relationship with God, in our family, in our church, and other relationships?”  In our commitments, where are we failing to give our all?  Others are busting their tails often to help us and to provide for their families, so we definitely need to make sure we are giving our best effort in everything we do. 

 

Like the widow, do we find ourselves giving our all and being as humble as possible or do we just give a little and feel prideful for at least giving something?  We need to ditch the pride and take a good lesson from not only the widow, but Jesus Himself.

He Wants Unlimited Access

 YouTube Channel Video Devo

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“He Wants Unlimited Access”

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

 

In this day and age, we have so many different subscription plans offering us unlimited access.  When we sign up for a membership, I think most often we are looking for the most perks we can get for our money.  Most phone plans nowadays all include unlimited talk, text and data.  I remember back when you had to pay extra for going over certain amount of calling minutes, texts and data caps.  That’s becoming a thing of the past.

 

So much of what we pay for these days usually provides unlimited access.  We like paying a price and getting unlimited access to the plan we’ve paid for.  We don’t want any hindrances to what we can do.  We don’t want to be restricted.  And, if there’s ever an issue, we are sure to contact customer service to get things straightened because we are a paying customer.

 

At church Sunday, this passage was used and talked about how Jesus charged His men to take His message to everywhere in the world.  He wasn’t just sending them through their town, but to other countries and all over the world.  He didn’t want them limiting themselves.  He wants full and complete access to their lives and to send them wherever he needed them to go. 

 

God wants unlimited access to our lives.  His desire is to send us wherever He leads.  However, so often, we limit Him and give excuses because we don’t feel like doing what He wants us to do or going where He wants us to go.  We always seem to have an excuse to not go certain places where He leads.  We get selfish and don’t want to leave our comfort zones.  But it doesn’t work that way if we are committed to the Great Commission.  Jesus told His men and tells us to go and make disciples of ALL nations.  There’s very inclusive! 

 

Jesus asks us to give Him all access to our lives so that He can send us wherever He chooses.  Are we giving Him all access and saying to Him first, “Yes!  Lord the answer is Yes!  Now, where do You want me to go”?

 

He wants all access of our lives.  He wants to send us wherever He desires for us to go.  Are we willing, ready and available?