Midweek Moment

This morning we started a new study entitled, Just Walk Across the Room. It is written by Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois. They are a non-denominational church and one of the largest churches in the country.

This entire study is about helping us garner the strength and encouragement to speak to others about our faith. It is geared to help us place one foot in from of the other as we walk across the room to reach out to another person.

I love this idea. I think this is probably one of the hardest things to do when we entertain the idea of talking about our faith with others. The words we would use or the technique we would employ, mean nothing if we first do not walk across the room. That first step in moving toward another can, at times, seem like the biggest hurdle.

Now as I prepared for this study, something occurred to me. This study can give you incredible tools, this study can inspire you in tremendous ways, this study can give you courage to share your faith, but it may all mean nothing, if you are not totally committed to your faith.

Now I am not speaking about doubting the existence of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, or the power of the Holy Spirit. I am referring to being totally committed to your faith and making that the foundation upon which you base your life. I am talking about being all in, by turning your entire life over to God.

That total giving of yourself means you give of your time to God, by reading Scripture, spending time in quiet prayer and meditation, or volunteering at church or heading up a program. It can be any opportunity where you use your time to draw closer to God. It also means you give of your talents. Let those gifts God has blessed you with come forth as you work to build God’s Kingdom on earth by getting active in missions and ministries that share God’s love and grace with others. It is also means you give of your gifts, your treasure, your finances. This means that if you are not tithing, giving 10% of your income to God, that you are working you way up to tithing. This is where most people struggle. When you can turn this part of your life over to God, then you are opening yourself up to the blessings that God does have in store for you. Finally, it means you give of your witness; telling people how much God has done for you in your life.

None of this is an “or” proposition. If you are all in, then you are giving of your time, your talents, your gifts, and your witness. We cannot pick and choose and be all in. We cannot hold something back and be all in.

Folks, I want you to be all in. I want you to give all you have and all you are over to God and allow those blessings to pour over you. I want you to be drenched in the providence and blessing of God. I want you to feel God’s grace dripping off of you as your cup overflows. To be an effective witness, we have to be all in. When we open every part of ourselves to God and allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, then we will feel that presence with us as we walk across the room.

I invite you to spend time in prayer this week and ask God to help you be all in. Ask God how you can turn every facet of your life over to God’s influence, so that each and every one of you can walk across the room.

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!