I have lots of things going through my mind this evening and all of them related to Bible prophecy and the world we live in today. We all heard about Harold Camping and his prediction of the rapture and how that went. Well, I am not going to be predicting any rapture dates but I do feel that something significant will happen between June 1 and June 15…
Let me explain a bit about my journey first. Read the rest of this entry »
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.
After sharing about my conversation with Blake yesterday and quoting James 4:8, I read the rest of the verses in James 4 and was struck by how the next 2 verses begin to lay out a plan starting to come near to God.
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?
Well, it’s early on a Saturday morning and I am sitting here reflecting on the last 24 hours of my life. Why? You might ask… Well yesterday I have a friend in a Bible study challenge me to look at every day, after it’s over, and look for how God’s hand had moved in my life that day.
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…
Days like today are milestones that I will look back to on my bad days to remember how GREAT God is. God moved and provided for us today in, not one, but three different ways today!
This whole “faith step” thing has been quite a wild ride over the last two months. From moments like today where we see God move in ways only He can to dark days where, if it was not for Kim’s faith, I would have thrown in the towel.
So you’re probably all wondering what happened… Well,
1. God answered a deep concern of mine on the financial front by providing not one but two checks just in time to pay some upcoming bills!
2. For those who don’t know, one of my kids is going on a “trip of a lifetime” as a student ambassador for the United States (contact me for the details – don’t want to put them on a public forum like this). Well this child has been selling Hula Hoops as a fundraiser. It turns out that my wife told her mom, who told her co-workers, and one of her co-workers told a friend who overheard a lady in the nearby store complaining about their cheap hula hoops. So this friend of a co-worker of my wife’s mom told her she would put her in touch with my wife about getting some hula hoops – Turns out she works for a daycare and wants about 20 hula hoops! YEAH BABY! only God could orchestrate that one!
3. While watching Pirates of the Caribbean with one of my kids this evening, I felt this prompting to pray for a friend of mine living in another state. So I did and then text messaged him to let him know…Turns out he’s on a 5 day retreat learning about listening to God (It gets better…) He literally just finished a chapter in the book he’s reading on praying when God prompts you to pray… WOW, God is Amazing – His Timing is perfect.
My faith and trust in God is flying high today. This day will be a “stone marker” like the nation of israel set up after God parted the Jordan River so they could enter the Promised Land of Canaan.
God, please me remind me of today in those dark days when worry and fear creep in, AMEN…
This morning at 10:05am a dear man of God left our temporary earthly home for a better place. Elton Piersma, my wife’s grandfather, lived a life committed to following what God called him to do. I personally have always admired Grandpa’s respect and honor for God and God’s Word. While my wife and I feel a deep sense of loss, we also rejoice in the fact that Grandpa is now with his Heavenly father, a place he has longed for… for many years.
I also truly admire Grandpa Piersma for the way he lived his life as a pastor and friend to many. He taught from a place of wisdom that few can say they have and yet was humble and caring to everyone, no matter what. I look to his joy filled life and pray that someday I can have the joy, peace, and steadfastness in faith that he displayed right up to the end of his time here on earth.
I won’t soon forget the conversation we had just a few days ago. His joy-filled, peaceful voice sharing wisdom and thankful to God for all that he has experienced. This morning he passed away in his sleep with family by his side.
My life has truly been blessed through knowing Grandpa Piersma and I can honestly say that he has greatly impacted who I am because of who he was, how he lived, and how God has used him over the years.
Grandpa we look forward to the day when we can see you again, in Heaven, and worship again our Glorious Risen Savior but this time in His presence…
We love and miss you already!
Dear God, thank you for the times we have shared with Grandpa Piersma and the hope of more in the future as we gather again in Heaven – Our permanent Home…
