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?

Last night, I went out with some family members and we celebrated some milestones together with a 3 hour and 45 minute dinner at a great restaurant. I can assure you, I have never had that before… But as we wrapped up the meal (at least 4 courses later, I lost count), I began to wonder about how this related to Jesus and meals he shared…

One thing I’ve been taught about first century mid-east culture is that meals are more than just consuming food. It’s a time of community and fellowship like no other. I mean, that’s the whole point of it. The meals were long and the way food was presented was all about sharing and community. They made their meals a priority because spending time together was a priority.

I think we, in 21st century America, need to take some serious cues from this. How often do you sit down to a meal with the intention of just hanging out and getting to know the people closest to you even better…honestly…

Last night I experienced a incredible meal but more importantly we took time to just hang out and talk, relate, laugh, and have fun. It was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.

It all started with a logical question… Put yourself in their shoes, What would that be like and what would you be thinking going through all that?

For reference sake, here is a description of the 7th bowl judgement….

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. (Revelation 16:17-21 NIV)

Now you know why I said, “Ouch…”

Keep in mind that, in my understanding of Revelation, this happens towards the end of the 7 year tribulation. So one could say this is the worst it gets. This then is followed by the Battle of Armeggedon and the 1000 year reign of Jesus on earth.

But imagine going through this, what do you think people would be thinking or feeling? Would it be so great that only God could be “blamed” or will people try to explain it away? Would it be all about survival for you? Would cursing God or calling out to God even enter your mindset?

Let me know your thoughts….

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.

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!

This will be post #1 of 3 dealing with the “all in” lifestyle mentioned in the previous post…

Let’s start with verse 8 again…

1. Change your wrong ways and begin to move toward God through your lifestyle and mindset.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8

Right in the second half of verse 8, we see the important first step of turning your life around and following God’s calling for your life. This is called repentance. The idea is not that you turn your head and begin to look toward the direction of God, but it’s “doing a 180″ and moving your whole self in the direction God is calling you.

This requires a commitment on your part. It requires an understanding of and acceptance of the redemption and grace that the God of the Universe has offered to you through Jesus.

He sent His son Jesus (God who came to earth to be with us…) as “the way, the truth, and the life. no one comes to the Father (God) but through him. (John 14:6)”

One of Jesus’ disciples puts it best in his book about the life and teachings of Jesus when he wrote:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. – John 3:16-18

Along with the acceptance of the gift of redemption and grace that God offers we need to begin to work on our life and things things we do. James 4:8 says “Wash your hands” which I believe calls us to change our actions and the way we live. We need to begin to evaluate our lives and the things we do and if they are not in line with the life the Bible calls us to live then we need to change those things.

But even more importantly, it says “purify your hearts.” For the first century reader (original audience of this letter), the heart was a symbol for the internal being. The mind, attitudes and soul of an individual needed to be purified. It’s these internal thoughts and attitudes that ultimately dictate how we act and what others see in our lives. It’s just as important to ask yourself, “Who am I and how do I act when no one is looking?”

As we begin to move toward a full commitment to God, it requires change…

- Possibly a change in what you believe about God
- a change in the way you live your life, then things you do or don’t do that you should
- a change in the way you think about people even though nobody knows…
- it may mean a change in the music you listen to or the TV/Movies you watch

If you are going to be fully committed to God – You absolutely need to be aware of what you see, hear, and do because it says alot about the God you have chosen to represent. God calls us to be holy – that means set apart from the world around us – Are You set apart?

He suggested doing it every evening before bed. Well, those who know me…know our crazy lifestyle and how tired I get. Evening does not work for me because sleep hits me before my head hits the pillow. So since God sees fit to wake me up early every morning (I don’t set an alarm clock), I figured He must want me to utilize that time better. So here we go…

As I look over all that happen yesterday, one encounter I had definitely has the hand of God all over it. Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to pick up a new friend from the airport. He flew into Grand Rapids from Dallas, TX and was speaking in Jackson, MI this weekend. The funny thing is that we had never met before face to face. We had talked via linkedin, email, and phone, but God finally saw fit to connect the two of us together in person. His name is Blake Porter (Visit His Ministry Website).

So when Blake finally got into town yesterday (after airport issues cause delays for him), I picked him up from the airport and we went to a local starbucks and hung out for just over an hour. I was amazed at Blake’s energy and passion for God and his ministry as he shared his story of how he came to be doing what he’s doing. The whole encounter was incredibly refreshing, exciting, and inspiring for me as I look to follow God completely like Blake has been doing for years.

As l reflect back on the conversation we had over tea at Starbucks, I was struck with the question that is now the title of this post… Am I “all in” like Blake is – completely trusting God and passionately pursuing my calling with everything in me or am I only “half in” – not fulling putting my faith in the God of the universe, who may be calling me to so much more – am I caught up in the worries of this life?

I think wherever we are in our walk with God there is always room to improve. The question is am I/are you taking the steps we need to take to improve? Are you coasting through life comfortable and content with the security you have built up or do you feel a sense that there is something more God is calling you too?

If it’s the latter, then you just need to take a baby step forward and God will begin to lead you.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8a, NIV

If you have chosen to remain “comfortable,” in the life you’ve built, I would argue that you are not being as effective in your calling as you might think. If you are not experiencing some challenge to your faith or life, then you have to ask the question “Are you a threat to the enemy?” Is Satan leaving you alone because he does not feel that you are a danger to his efforts to defeat God?

God calls us to storm the gates of Hell, to be on the front lines of the battle making a difference for His kingdom – are you doing that if you’re solely focused on your comfort and what you need? If you’re not a threat to the enemy, you’re not effective in God’s calling for your life.

What ever God has uniquely designed you to do – are you doing it with all that is in you? Trust me, if you jump in and make that kind of 100% commitment to Him that he calls us to then He will be there for you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine…

Where are you in your life… Are you “comfortable” and “safe” or are you living life on the edge of faith, opening new doors of opportunity for God to move through you and impact lives for eternity?

It’s Your Choice…

For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. – Romans 7:19 NIV

This roadblock of fear can bring Gods incredible plans for your life to a screeching halt. So it is very important for us to realize that this type of fear is actually a tool of the devil. What better way to thwart the plans of the Almighty then to break the tools (you and I) that He uses to accomplish His will.

We desperately need to understand why fear is opposite to the Truth we say we believe.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1John 4:18 NIV

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the lord is kept safe. – Proverbs 29:25 NIV

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” -Isaiah 35:3-4 NIV

These truths bring to light three truths that I am finding very encouraging during these tough times and in the face of some tough choices.

1. Love is part of the new self in Christ and fears part of the old. We need to heed the teaching of Paul to toss off the old self and to put on the new which includes love not fear.

2. Fear shows a serious lack of trust in the Father God. Matthew writes that God takes care of the grass and the birds, how much more does He love you and wants to take care of you and give you good gifts.

3. Probably the most important reminder for us in tough times is that fear contradicts the promises that God has made to us, His sons and daughters, throughout scripture.

Actually the whole article is really good and hit me exactly where I’m at today. But this quote… wow…When God calls us to His mission, we can’t expect comfortable and easy. Anything worth being blessed with requires work and commitment on our end.

read the post, it’s awesome – then let me know what you think?