Just recently our
pastor did a series at our church called “ALL IN”. In the beginning of this
series I didn’t think that he was talking to me because I felt that I had been
obeying Jesus by being “ALL IN”. I thought, “Well, I am writing the book that
He is calling me to write so I am being obedient, the pastor isn’t talking to
me.” I was totally wrong. Being “ALL IN” with Jesus doesn’t mean that you
decide to cannon ball into the waters but decide to just stick your feet in
instead…when He calls you or me or anyone…He wants all of us!
Yes, I had been
writing the book that God called me to write, but I was still trying to control
the situation. The book IS FINALLY done and I had a plan in my head of how it
should pan out to be published. My plan was to finish writing the book and edit
it over and over again before anyone touched it to correct it. I wanted a
perfect product to hand off to the publisher. Before the publisher got it, I
would let a friend read it to give me the approval that it was “publishing
worthy”. Then and only then would I set up a KICKSTARTER account to raise the
money for the publishing cost. Once I had the approval of someone reading it
that it was “publishing worthy” and had “all the money in hand” then I would
purchase the package and trust the Lord.
I really was only half way in by trying to control the situation with
all of “my plans”.
My family and I
have been challenged to go further, “Cannonball” in, and be “ALL IN”! Instead
of trying to go in my “perfect” flawless order, we have taken the gigantic leap
of faith. We put a deposit down on a publishing package with Xulon Press to
start the process of getting the book published this past Friday. Of course,
after I made the purchase, all of the “what if’s” started to flood my mind.
What if the book is horrible and doesn’t sell? What if I don’t get the money
through kickstarter and my family is left with this financial burden? What if
something happens in my family because the enemy is in full force due to our
leap of faith? What if, what if, what if? The enemy was having a blast in my
mind causing doubt by adding new “what if’s” every minute. I felt as if I was
the goalie in a hockey game and that everyone on the ice had countless hockey
pucks and were taking shots at me relentlessly. But I had to quit those voices
because…I knew and still know that the Lord wants me to do this. I decided to
quit putting all of these “stipulations” on what He was calling me too and quit
being held back by fear…and let it all go.
I have learned when it comes to being “ALL IN” with the
Lord…
1.
It doesn’t make sense:
a.
When Jesus called His first disciples they were
going about their business and trying to catch fish…the way they supported
themselves. He called them to leave that all behind and taking nothing with
them.
b.
Matthew
4: 18-22, “As He was
walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called
Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they
were fishermen. “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!”
Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two
other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a
boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and
their father and followed Him.”
2.
It is a scary thing:
a.
Following Jesus makes you abandon all comfort
and to never look back; which to anyone can be scary.
b.
Luke 9: 57-62, “As they were traveling on
the road someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go!” Jesus told
him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has
no place to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”
“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” But He told him, “Let
the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of
God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me go and say
good-bye to those at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his
hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
3.
It causes you to ask others to follow the crazy
journey:
a.
Acts 2 reveals where Peter preaches because he
can no longer hold in the awesomeness of the Father and Son of the universe.
The Holy Spirit just came down upon them and he preaches to all that are
gathered. He proclaims what the prophet Joel has said has come to pass and he
further explains what people should do in order to experience Jesus for them.
Once he did this they were forgiven of their sins and church grew before his
eyes.
b.
Acts 2: 29-40, “Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch
David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since
he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his
descendants on his throne. Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the
resurrection of the Messiah. He was not left in Hades, and His flesh did not
experience decay. “God has resurrected this Jesus.
We are all witnesses of this. Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right
hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has
poured out what you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into
the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My
right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ “Therefore let all the
house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you
crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” When
they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest
of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?” “Repent,” Peter said to them,
“and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise
is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the
Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and strongly
urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”
4.
Blessings will follow:
a.
Jesus had risen and came to reveal Himself to
the disciples for a third time and He blessed them with an abundant feast.
b.
Matthew
21:6-7 “Cast the net on
the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did,
and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”
5.
He promises to never leave:
a.
Even when He calls us to be “ALL IN” He is “IN”
with us!
b.
Hebrews 13: 5, “Your life should be free from
the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I
will never leave you or forsake you.”
So, here I am taking a dive and being “ALL IN” the way Jesus calls me to be. To others it may not make sense and I am scared out of my mind but I am asking you friends to join me on this journey of being “ALL IN” with Jesus…the one worth being all in with! Not only do I believe that God will show up for me in a mighty way but I also know that He will show up for you too if you follow Him through obedience and complete abandonment. He promises to NEVER leave us…He promises to show up for us. QUIET THE VOICES…TAKE THE DIVE!!! YOU WON’T BE SORRY!
Because I took the DIVE...I got my first donation for the book yesterday!!!
GOD IS ALREADY SHOWING UP!!!
TIFFANY
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