You are my All in All

Usually the beginning of the weeks are very crazy for me. After winding down on a Sunday of church and sunday school, monday comes along and i start to think about all of the things that i have to do for the upcoming weekend. Just this past Monday I was really freaking out just thinking about all of the events and stuff I have to plan. I thank God that He's blessed me with so many opportunities to serve Him but I know the moment that i freak out, I'm not depending on Him enough. Just this past Sunday during worship we sang "You are my all in all". The lyrics say, "you are my strength when i am weak. you are the treasure that i seek. you are my all in all." These lyrics played in my head for the next couple of days yet I wasn't smart enough to link what was going on in my life to what these lyrics are telling me. Yesterday night as i was tossing and turning in my bed a verse popped into my head. Philippians 4:13- "I can do all this through him who gives me strength". I can do all this if i depend on God. No matter how many things get tossed at me he will help me handle it. In one of the passages in Matthew, Jesus withered a fig tree. He says in chapter 21 verses 21-22 that if we have only faith in him, not only can we wither a fig tree, we can move a mountain.

Matthew 26:14-16, 31-35, 47-56

Why didn't Jesus stop Judas and Peter from betraying and denying Him? Before Judas and Peter betrayed and denied Jesus, He already knew and He made it very clear to all his disciples that this would happen. Jesus could have had armies of angels protecting Him when he was arrested but He didn't. Jesus said that this must be done in order to fulfill the prophesies. If He intervened, God's plan would not have been carried out.

Sometimes I feel like I know what's best. When planning for a gathering or church event, I sometimes feel like my ideas are bulletproof. Even since I was really young I have been relatively independent. I figured out what classes I needed to take, how to get to the college I wanted to go to, how to get to the car I wanted, where I wanted to work, and what I wanted to achieve in life. Thinking back, was it really me? If it wasn't for God would I be where I am now? Even when Jesus was going through all the sufferings He gave glory to God yet I'm giving myself credit for the minor achievements in my life. Being able to let go of what I've planned and go with what God wants is not easy at all. When Jesus revealed to his disciples his betrayal, everyone said that they wouldn't. Peter said that he would never betray Jesus but in the end he did. I'm sure it wasn't easy for Jesus to have to endure all the physical and verbal abuses yet He was willing because it was God's plan.

Ever since I've become addicted to God's words it's becoming easier for me to know God's heart. He makes it perfectly clear and always guides me in the direction I should go. Giving up my own plans for His plans has made me 10x happier. I'm thankful that He's given me his word and the people around me to constantly remind me to depend on him. Jesus told his disciples to pray to keep away from temptation because "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". I've learned that God's plan is the most perfect and I see all the beautiful things he's doing around me. He's equipped me with all the tools I need to live the wonderful life He's given me.

Matthew 22:15-21

In this scripture, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. I was amazed at how Jesus can see right through the Pharisees. If he said no, he would've been reported for treason, and if he said yes then the Pharisees were going to say he was disloyal to the nation. When you've got God on your side, it's hard for anything to break you.

Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. Would it be fair to with hold money from the government but give the money that I cheated the government out of to God? Yet it seems many Christians try to do such things, such as cheating on their taxes. Although I've never done so myself, I admit that I've had similar ideas. Even as Christians, we tend to fall. It never said in the Bible that once we follow Christ we will NEVER sin again but know that when we do, we've got Christ to turn to.

Often I get so worried about my savings and how i should spend the money. The money that i'm tithing could be used somewhere else. I could get myself some really nice shoes. However, I know that tithing is something that i SHOULD do and it's something i WANT to do. Give to God what's God's. God doesn't need my money. It's not the amount that matters. God wants me to dedicate my all to Him, and He will not let me go hungry and He will not leave me out standing the cold. Caesar is not God and the government is not God. It seems that the comparison isn't even valid.