I wrote this message for our youth group yesterday, but I wanted to share it with you all as well, because I feel like it’s something I had to learn as an adult, just over the last few years, and am still learning! And I want nothing more than for my kids to learn this sooner in life, to spare them from some of the inner turmoil that I went through.
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Have you ever heard the phrase “all in”?
Lots of things these days call us to be all in!
Sports, wanting multiple days from us for practice and games.
Jobs, wanting us to be available at any day or hour.
Groups asking us to give them all of our passion and hearts, in order to be a successful part of the tribe.
Even friends can expect us to reply back to their texts and calls instantaneously.
Did you know that God asks us to be ALL IN too?
In Luke 10:25-28 NLT it says:
“One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!””
So- how can we love God with ALL of our heart, soul, strength, and mind, AND still have room to love our neighbors as ourselves?
Well- the key is knowing that God isn’t like other goals and other things people center their lives around.
All the things want us to be ALL IN, but those things compete against one another and it feels like we can’t win because if we give our all to one, then the rest suffer.
When we give our all to GOD, every area of life, seeking to do life with him and honor him with our lives, he directs our steps. He helps us balance things. He helps us give each place the priority he wants for it to have in our lives.
And while we are in those places, WITH HIM, he helps us be present (not thinking about all the other things and feeling pulled apart), and to focus on loving and reaching people for him, and just glorifying him by shining his Christlike character (the character that looks to serve instead of looking to be served) where he’s placed us.
He helps us to not buy into the enemy’s lies that we have to be the best in order to shine- so that we CAN bring him glory,
And he helps us to know that just being ourselves and just letting his light shine-
at home,
at school,
at work if we have jobs,
even while we are just walking around with friends or gathering-
just looking for ways to honor him and talk with him and share his love with people in all those things..that’s what he’s looking for.
It’s not pressure, like the world gives, with moments of peace.
It’s peace like the world can’t give, even in the midst of life’s pressures
In John 14:26-27 NIV, Jesus says-
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Decide today that you’re ALL IN, with Jesus.
Know that he’s with you, in ALL that you do.
And then let him teach you to walk in love and experience peace, in every area of your life!
It’s an entirely different way of living, that we want you all to know is available!
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“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
Romans 12:1-2 MSG.
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{PS- I made the picture off-centered on purpose, so that if you wanted to you could use it for your lock-screen, as a reminder. I know that I need that inspiration often!}
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