Are You Giving Him Your Best?

Kelly Franklin
Freedom Christian Center

When it comes to your relationship with Christ and your time spent with Him personally, I want to raise the question to you, “Are you giving Him your best?” Often, we know what to do, but the problem is getting around to doing what we know. So what is holding you back from spending time building your personal relationship with the most important person in your life, Jesus Christ?

I think this is an important question to consider, “Are you giving Him your best?” I believe with all my heart that God deserves the best from us because He loves us the most. God is all about relationship. His heart has always been about building a relationship with us, his people. Your relationship with Him began when you chose to put your faith in in Jesus Christ, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. According to John 1: 12--You became a child of God. What an awesome privilege to be in relationship with the creator of the universe; the one who created you in your mother’s womb; the one who knows you the best and has the best for you in mind. Our relationship with God is the most important relationship we have.

So, what is hindering you from giving God your best on a daily basis? What activities are you giving your time and energy too? What are your priorities? Where can you make adjustments? Are you willing to sacrifice your wants to build your relationship with God? What we value in life is where we focus our attention and greatest efforts. I believe that the things we consistently do daily will shape our lives the most.

As a believer in Christ, having a daily time set aside to build your relationship with Christ through reading the Bible, prayer, and praise is vital to reach the destiny that He has called you to. So what is keeping you from giving God your best?

It is my prayer that you not only answer this question but that you choose to grow in your relationship with God, for He deserves our best!

We want to hear from you: Visit MyHOP on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/myhop and tell me What is the number one thing that steals your time from Him? I want to pray with you and stand with you.

I Recently Read...

Kelly Franklin
Feedom Christian Center

Recently, I have been reading, EM Bounds writings on prayer. He has much to say to the Body of Christ and the importance of having a vital prayer life as a disciple of Christ. He says that "prayer distinguishes the children of God…it is the one infallible mark and test of being a Christian. Christians are prayerful." Why? Because Christian’s put their faith in Christ and choose to govern their lives by Jesus’ teachings. Jesus taught and modeled prayer. He lived the example of prayer for His disciples. He went from one place of prayer to the next and worked miracles in between. His life on earth modeled prayer and relationship with the Father. As Christians, ours must too.

Let’s ask ourselves: “What does my prayer life say about my relationship with God?” What does my prayer life say about my walk with Christ? Would others know that I am a Christian by my prayers?” “Would they be drawn to Christ by my personal devotion? By my expression and confidence of faith? Or by the love that I express toward others because of the influence of time spent in His presence?” These are questions I am contemplating.

Do we pray out of duty or devotion? Or is it based on our need? Do our prayers flow from a deep love for relationship with Christ and a desire to be like him? Or are our prayers self focused and crisis centered? Being a disciple of Christ really begins in the place of prayer, which is relationship with Him. It is a mark and a true test of our devotion. Let prayer be an overflow of your gratitude, love, and desire for more of Him. Then we can confidently declare that we are “in Christ,” true followers of Him…..Christians.

Compassion and Miracles

Pastor Gary Stebbins, Church in the Rock - Melbourne

I find myself again reading in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) where much insight can be gained by looking at the life of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 14 we find the story of Jesus feeding five thousand men and women with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fishes. Jesus had been teaching a large number of people on a hillside. As the day grew later the disciples suggested to Jesus that it was time to send the people home because there was no food to feed them.

Jesus response was so characteristic of who He is. He said, “They do not need to go away.” Jesus is not into sending people away. Earlier in this passage it says that Jesus “felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” Jesus’ heart was and is to minister to people the life and love of God. It says that the place they were in was a “desolate place.” Many people today are in a desolate place and need a mighty touch from the God that has great compassion for them. His instructions to the disciples were, “You give them something to eat.” I believe Jesus’ desire is still what it was 2000 years ago, to minister to people through His disciples and followers.

In response to the disciples request to send the people away, Jesus instead has them sit down. He takes the few loaves and fishes that they have and, “looking up toward heaven,” He blessed the food and fed all 5000. The picture we see is Jesus looking up towards heaven in a physical sense and asking the Father to bless their meal. This was an outward picture of what Jesus had already done inwardly. I believe He had “looked up” toward His heavenly Father in the quietness of His own heart. Jesus never did anything He did not hear or see His Father doing. Out of His relationship with the Father, He knew it was the Father’s heart to minister to the people and to feed them. This was not an instantaneous decision that Jesus made. He had spent many hours praying and seeking the heart of the Father. Out of this relationship with the Father He was prepared for this moment. With eyes of faith He could see the Father feeding 5000 people.

As disciples of Jesus ourselves, we must learn to “look up toward heaven.” Not just as a physical act, but as a daily discipline, taking time to read and reflect on God’s Word, to pray, and to communicate with God regularly. Not just petitioning God, but spending time in His presence, becoming familiar with His heart.

Later on in this passage of scripture, after the people are fed and the disciples are sent away, Jesus “went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.” He had found the importance of spending time in the presence of the Father. It is in this place of “presence” that He developed the Father’s compassion for people and it is coming out of this place that He was able to minister God’s life to people.

What took place on that mountain side 2000 years ago was indeed a miracle in one sense. In another sense, it came out of a place of relationship with God, one developed by spending hours with Him “up on the mountain” praying. Many today live in a barren and desolate place and greatly need a touch from God. God is looking to empower those who will invest their lives in getting to know Him.

How about you?

Have you been to the mountain recently?

Do you “look up toward heaven” regularly?

The Father is waiting for us to come to Him so He can send us out into the world to be a witness and testimony of His incredible love.

Have you taken time to allow God to deposit in you His heart of compassion for people?