Articles by Kris Swiatocho, Director The Singles Network Ministries

Articles by Kris Swiatocho, Director

Trust Me?

Last night I was doing my weekly Bible study with my 15 year old cousin, Amber (she got saved 10 months ago)...when she said something amazing to me--it made me cry. She said, you know God's relationship with us is like this--He gave us a million dollars and all he wants back is $5 but for some of us, $5 is hard to give back.

Of course, Christ dying on the cross for us is worth more than a million but the premise is the same. As she was sharing, I put my head down in shame and thought of all the times God has asked me to do something and i was either tired, angry, fearful I wouldn't get it back, didn't trust, or so forth. Wow, it took a baby in Christ to remind me that all God wants is $5...meaning, he wants or ask so little in return for what HE DID FOR US!..Forgive me Lord, forgive me for not doing what you have asked me to do. Forgive me for not trusting you. Amen

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

So what is God asking of you? What is your $5? Is it helping a friend, tithing consistently with joy, listening to your child, giving up having your way, serving at church, your community? Start today and pray, asking the Lord to help you with whatever you have a hard time giving back to God. It's not that he ask you give 10%, it's that we get to keep 90%.

"All" Will Be Blessed by Kris Swiatocho

Genesis 12:1-3 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

I love Abraham. A man who took such a risk to leave all that he knew, trusting God to step out, travel to a new place, new environment, new everything. I can only imagine his fears, his concerns, and even his doubts. Just like each of us, change is hard, especially when it requires fully trusting in the Lord.

1. The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s house to the land I will show you.” God gave Abraham a direct order. No "stop, look and listen"—just go. He told him to leave his country, his home and all that was familiar. What if God asked you to leave your home… to travel across the country, or maybe across the ocean?? A place where the terrain might be different. A place that could be very cold with lots of snow or very hot and humid. A place that might have tall mountains or dry desert land. Would you want to go? Would you be willing to trust God not knowing where He might take you? Knowing that He has something planned for you there? To leave what is comfortable and easy? Trusting God for something better?

2. God also told Abraham to leave all his people (family, friends, those he worked with, etc.). While there is a point in time we do need to leave our family—especially if we are grown---this was not that kind of situation. Abraham was asked to leave all those people he had relationships with and go where God told him to go. Believe me, there was no email, facetime and texting to stay in touch with them. How very hard this had to be. Could you do this today? If God said to leave and not look back— not even to correspond with family and friends, could you do this? For some of us, the mission field is just that—limited family correspondence. However, the blessings far outweigh the sacrifices.

3. "I will show you," says God. God does not just take you someplace without giving you a type of peace about what He is doing. The issue is we want to know all the details and then trust God. Just the fact that God is directing you should be enough to trust Him. Trust is the first step in God “showing you.”

4. "I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing." Can you imagine how Abraham was feeling now--“Okay, so You are asking me to leave all that I know and to trust You? Now You are telling me what is going to happen?!” God wants to use you, just like Abraham, to do great things. Things that bring glory to God. By being obedient in where you are now, God wants to bless all of us. For some, He will show favor by their fame or finance, for others, by their compassion and patience. But all is for HIS kingdom to bring HIM glory. Are you ready for God to use you in mighty ways?

5. "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse.” God is our provision and our protector. As you continue to follow Him, listening, obeying, acting, He will bless you beyond measure, as well as protect you. He will take care of your enemies. Provide judgment and resolution, HE will do this--not you!

6. "And ALL the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Hmmm, how is God going to do that? I mean, we are just simple people living a simple life? Abraham does this first by just saying to God, “yes, I will follow you (whatever this might be)." The more we say “yes” to His direction, His calling, His work, the more people are impacted and blessed as well. As we teach, disciple and empower others, the more they learn and the process is multiplied, but it must all start with us saying “yes” to God!

So where are you in your relationship to God? Are you truly trusting Him for everything in your life, including a new direction? New place to live, work or place of ministry? Maybe a new relationship or leaving some old ones behind. Pray right now that God shows you what needs to change to truly trust Him in ALL ways.

>>Read More: Other "ALL" Devotions