I
began a new series this past Sunday at The Community that is also our theme for
the year. It is ALL IN. It is based on some things that God has been
doing in my heart, in our church the last few years and on the newest book from
Mark
Batterson by the same name.
To
be ALL IN means that you buy in, serve well and give all to be a fully devoted
follower of Christ. It is not easy. Let me say with all confidence that you will
be attacked, you will find yourself in some tough places, when you stand with
Jesus. When we chose Jesus, there will
be opposition. But when we chose Jesus,
there will also be many blessings. It is
on His term, fulfilling His call and touching lives for His kingdom.
Mark
Batterson-- “Faithfulness is not
holding the fort. Faithfulness is
invaded hellholes with the light and love of Jesus Christ.”
What
a great thought that is. Often churches
and Christian leaders try to stop the people around us with all the excitement
and passion because it will change the status quo. Yet I don’t remember reading in the Bible
where Jesus stopped people passionate about their God and about making a
difference to help others.
We
are called to do what Jesus did. He
helped the people He met find life, awesome and full life. On the other side is our enemy who want to
disinfect, distract or destroy who we are and where we are going. Yet God will give us and others a fresh look
at life and enough breathe and strength to live even more. That’s abundant life. That comes with being ALL IN.
John
10:10 NASB
The
thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life,
and have it abundantly.
It
is time that we allow God and His plan for our lives and our purpose to realign
everything. Far too often we focus on
what we have, stuff and money, which is the wrong place to put our
attention. What we have will be gone,
but what has us will either put us away or carry us further. Think about what you are allowing to guide
you.
James
1:10 NLT
And
those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in
the field.
It
is time that our focus is on what really matters. I love serving people, yet if our serving and
doing good things trumps telling people of Jesus and His grace for people. Jesus is what life is all about.
For
God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we
could be made right with God through Christ.
What
Jesus did was to transfer our sin to Him and to give us His righteousness. Jesus called it even, level and balanced at
that point. But how can that be
fair. Sin for salvation is not a balance
or equal. God doesn’t do anything that
seems humanly fair. What He does is
superhuman and divine. To save us and
remove our sin is what only God can do, and it is a divine act.
Someday
you and I will stand before God to give an account for what we have done. If we try to stand on our deeds, we will lose
and crumble. We can stand with Jesus. Jesus took our place. We stand on and in His righteousness. We don’t stand in our sin. No, we stand in Christ. God sees his son.
Are you ALL IN? Is there something keeping you from pursuing
God with all that you are and all that you have? To be ALL IN means that we forget thinking
about what people are thinking about us and start thinking about and doing
something about what God really loves.
God loves people.
He loves you, and He loves
me. Jesus was ALL IN when He gave all to
love us. Since He gave all we can
certainly live for Him full out and ALL IN.
Proverbs 21:21 NLT
Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life,
righteousness, and honor.
Philippians 2:21 NLT
All the
others care only for themselves and not
for what matters to Jesus
Christ.
1 John 3:16 NLT
We know what
real love is because Jesus gave
up his life for us. So we also
ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
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