The Challenge

What is a challenge? What is it about a comment or suggestion that turns our thoughts inward, and asks us to make a decision? What is a decision?.... In the words of an old adage "If you choose not to decide, then your decision has been made".

Last night I was faced with a decision...I am still praying that God would open my eyes, open my heart, to the correct choice... Challenge. The very word provokes a response from our inner core. We can bristle at the word. We can soften at the word. We can feel the churning of the question within us... Yes or No? Challenge. God has been speaking to my heart about my private contribution to the world of missions. Am I on mission? I should be....Yes, God I am, and You know that. Do I contribute? Yes. Then comes the challenge.
Straight from the heart of God to mine... Do I give enough?



How do I answer that one God? You know my thoughts and my heart...YOU tell me!

And He did.



Ahhhh, I wish that I could tell you that my heart is pure...that my faith is such that I would give more than my fair share of depleted resources (thanks to the economy), but when I hold my heart up to the One that died for me, and give an honest comparison, I have to tell you, I am a poor imitation. I do understand that Jesus did not die so that I could wallow in condemnation, or self pity, or live my life half full. Read it for yourself in Romans chapter 8. He came to give me LIFE...ABUNDANT life. I do understand the He is my both my provider, and my provision. He is my shield, and my very great reward, and I worship him because of His grace and mercy, extended to me when I was what I used to be, and when I used to think differently.
How I used to think...USED TO THINK.

Here we are...NOW we get to it...MY strength is sufficient for you...MY will is to be done, not yours. Because I AM WHO I AM, you have been saved from the grave, from the pit, and if you have faith as small as the grains of sand in your eyes, you could see that I WILL PROVIDE the gift...not you Johnson. You will be MY hands and feet. You will be MY voice to the nations, and you will produce fruit in accordance with MY favor and blessing.

As I sit here God, I realize that I am harder on myself than I should be.. and I thank you for speaking to me in a way that only you could, to get your point across. I also thank you for the tears of worship and repentance that fall from my eyes now, they have cleared the grains of sand...
and I love YOU and trust YOU as never before....