Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:9-10, NLT
This verse came into my inbox this morning after my previous post…. I thought it fit well…
I know i struggle to love others well…How well do you love others?
I don’t think what happen last night has ever happened to me before…
Every week I get together with a bunch of guys and we are working through the book of Revelation. Today we talked about the 7th bowl judgement. Ouch… I definitely don’t want to be around when that happens. But that lead to an interesting discussion about how people going through that would react….
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Everything you do should be done in a way that glorifies God. Whether it is being on time for meetings or double checking last minute details, every aspect of everything, work or personal, you do should require your best effort.
This is the final post of 3 as we examine James 4:8-10 and look at steps to the “all in” lifestyle
3. It’s important to know your place in relationship to the God of the Universe and let Him lift you up – don’t you do the lifting.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. – James 4:10
An “all in” lifestyle will only work with someone who has been humbled by a full understanding of who God is, what He has done for us, and an awareness of our own imperfections.
Someone who has taken the first two steps seriously will be in a good position to be used by God as He lifts them up. God can only use those who know their place. That they are not the center of the universe but are a tool that God has created to work with to reach a world that desperately needs to be in relationship with Him.
It’s not just awareness of this fact. It also requires a choice by this person to do what God is calling them to do. They have the option to say “yes” or “no”.
A truly humbled person will understand that God has a bigger vision than we can see (Jer. 29:11) and that everything He does will work out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Faith and trust are key to a humbled person working at their full potential for God.
The “All In” Lifestyle is one of full commitment to the God of the Universe and his plan for redemption. It means responding quickly to times of sin and brokenness and getting back on track with God in humility. It is when we are at that point that God can begin to open doors for us and begin to move mightily in our lives.
We need to make a choice to live an “All In” lifestyle or not… Read Jesus words about this in Revelation 3:15-16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Not making a choice to follow God with everything or to not follow God with everything basically makes Jesus sick. The word “spit you out of my mouth” actually means “to Vomit”
By riding the fence – keeping one foot in each world, if you will… you make Jesus puke…
Are you stuck on the fence? Are you neither hot nor cold, are you luke warm? Stop making Jesus vomit and make a decision and go ALL IN.
This is post #2 of 3 as we examine James 4:8-10 and look at steps to the “all in” lifestyle
2. Even after we do a “180″ and commit our lives to God, we will sometimes fall pray to our “old life” – We must use these times of brokenness as reminders of God’s grace and forgiveness.
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. – James 4:9
In this verse, James is NOT saying the “all in” lifestyle is not one of mourning and saddness. I think the important point here is that we need to take a realistic look at the journey we are embarking on. We are called in James 4:9 to “greive, mourn, and wail” about the sin in our lives that keeps us from a full relationship with God.
Even after we repent and do a “180″ back toward God, we will still struggle with the old habits of sin that we’re attempting to put behind us. James is saying sin – whether at the time we repent or when we slip back into “old habits” – should cause us grief and to mourn because we’ve broken our relationship with God.
As long as we don’t get stuck in the mourning, this brokenness should serve to push us toward the third step to an “all in” lifestyle. And we will discuss that one tomorrow…
Do you mourn or regret when you fall back into old sinful habits? Just remember, don’t get stuck there… Pick up the pieces and keep moving forward!
