Giving God ten percent is not enough, it does not matter if it is your money, your time, efforts, thoughts, it is not enough. Keeping ninety percent for yourself is selfish, and denotes a life that does not trust, that believes in self more than the provisions and cares of the Lord. God will have one hundred percent of everything that you are and all that you believe yourself to own all the time.
The generalized argument amongst the Christian community? “Oh, He knows we are but dust, (Psalm 103:14) He understands that we are trying.” Why is it do you suppose that so many who want to be Christlike want to make sure they have a place to live first, instead of not being concerned about having a place to lay their head, (Matt. 8:20) why do they concern themselves with their jobs, their clothes, what they are going to eat, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)
If only in the material world we fell short constantly, that would be disrespectful to His majesty enough, but we are concerned with what others think of us, how they portray us, and so we modify ourselves to the situation and circumstances, using 1 Corinthians 9:22 as an excuse, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” They will be “Christians” in front of some, and “not so Christian” in the company of others.
I would ask a question of you, who are those that would not profess Christ before others (Matt. 10:33) and when did it happen? My guess is that most of you reading this letter just envisioned someone who was imprisoned for their faith, beaten extensively and finally when at their breaking point denied His Holy name. I hope I am wrong. What about all those times when you just happen to meet someone out in public, or at your place of work, or even amongst your own friends and family, got an excuse all prepared for your day of accounting (Romans 14:12) for all those times?
Going to give the Lord a viable excuse of why you did not speak of Him when you knew you were supposed to, what are you going to say to Him on that day, “Oh, Lord, you know that I am just dust.” One hundred percent or nothing, that’s the bargain, that is what you promised.
Being afraid of losing friends, of losing your job, of being beaten and ostracized, of even dying is not going to be an excuse that He will listen to, what He is going to say is “Why didn’t you trust Me, why didn’t you do what I asked you to do.” “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22) And all of them are going to have what the world would call justifiable reasons, pardonable rationalities for their lack of actions, but my friends, we are not going to be judged by the world, we are going to stand before the Holy and Righteous Judge, and love may cover a multitude of sins, (1 Peter 4:8) but it does not do anything for willing disobedience.
“I didn’t have the time to study the Scriptures,” less sleep, “I was busy, life is busy,” cut back. “I didn’t understand what I was reading,” search out books written by Godly men on the subject. Here is your excuse, this is what it will boil down to, I didn’t want to, I did not believe that Jesus was really that important, I just figured that He would give me a big hug and forgive me.
If the Lord did not search the heart, if He did not try the reins, (Jer. 17:10) if all He did was look on men as men look upon them (1 Sam. 16:7) you might be alright. He doesn’t though, and you might want to start giving that some very serious contemplation, excuses will not matter, the truth of who you are today is going to be shown to you on that day, and if you will not face that truth today, I can guarantee you that you will on that day.
