All or Nothing!

Mark Batterson said

Whether you are a sinner, backslider, lukewarm in your Christian experience, or caught in an unfortunate place in life... I want you to know one thing - you are only one decision away from a totally different life! However, the first step is always the longest and the hardest to make. And, you can’t just take a step a step forward into the future. You also have to eliminate the possibility of moving backward into the past.

Philippians 3:13 (KJV)
¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

One night I was flipping channels on TV and I came across a poker final. It was down to the final three players and one of them was placing ALL his chips in the center of the table. The announcer exclaimed “he’s going all in!” This guy didn’t hedge his bet and keep a little back for reserve, this was it. It was all or nothing. He knew he could lose but one thing for sure – he was not going back! Spiritually speaking, I couldn’t help but think of us as Christians needing to go ALL in and not keep a back door option open if things don’t work out as we had thought or planned. When you go all in there can be no going back.

Recently I was listening to a minister speak on the following Scriptures and he exposed something I had never thought of.

1 Kings 18:30-35 (KJV)
³⁰ And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
³¹ And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
³² And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
³³ And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
³⁴ And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
³⁵ And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

Israel was in a three and a half year famine produced by a severe drought. The most precious commodity in a drought is water. Elijah decided to “Go all in” and give of the most precious thing, even if it meant no more water was left. He knew if you go all in with God that you have just set the stage for the Lord to do something amazing in your life. At the end of this chapter, there comes and abundance of rain, the very thing that was consecrated to God was now overflowing in their lives.

You may be thinking “that’s just an isolated instance” but you can see it all through Scripture. Every time a people would go all in, the Lord would do something astounding. Consider the following:

• when Joshua and the people of Israel consecrated themselves – the walls of Jericho fell.
• When Elisha destroyed his plowing tools – he became the successor to one of the greatest prophets of all time.
• When Aaron let go of the staff – God performed an amazing feat before the eyes of Pharaoh.
• Peter was not a swimmer, yet he went all in by leaving the safety of the boat – became the second man to walk on water!

Of course the list is endless but what about you? Are you missing out on God doing something amazing in your life? The answer is – go ALL in – be totally committed! Eliminate all options to retreat.

Have you ever wondered why God said in Malachi 3:10 to prove/test him by giving of tithes and offerings? God wants to prove and demonstrate his faithfulness. His greatest pain is to not be believed, his greatest pleasure is to be believed!

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Go ALL in you wont be disappointed! He promises.

Romans 5:5 (KJV)
⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed (disappoint); because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Relationship Success God’s Way

“Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” – William James

Some years ago, an evangelist told me about his first date with his future wife. When she got in the car, he took notice she placed a bible between them on the seat. He asked her why she put the bible between them and she responded “if you are going to get to me, you will have to go through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John first!” I never forgot that and I appreciated her placing God at the beginning and center of this possible relationship. I believe all new relationships would benefit greatly if they started out on this proverbial right foot.

The value of the Word of God is inestimable. Like food is to the physical body, so is God’s word to the spiritual man. It is referred to in 1^st Timothy 4:6 as food that nourishes the spiritual person. When the bible is kept alive by a husband and wife practicing its principles, then success is guaranteed. Their marriage will be nourished and be healthy instead of famished and dying. Colossians 3:16 says “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” When it lives in us then it creates sustained joy, peace, love, and develops our strength.

Feed on the word by

• Being committed to church and hearing the word preached.
• Read it daily
• Meditate on every day on what you read. Meditating is the mind fermenting what it is thinking upon. When something ferments then it becomes intoxicating and a person will be under the influence. The word of God, not the world, should be influencing our decisions and life.
• Practice it everyday

The following is a list of verses to enhance the quality of your relationship. If acted upon, the rewards will be protection, seeing things before they happen, avoiding pitfalls, and exposing what are my responsibilities in the relationship.

Be careful of what and how you say things.

Proverbs 12:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

James 1:19 (KJV)
¹⁹ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Remember, there are always two sides to every story.

Proverbs 18:13 (KJV)
¹³ He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

Speak words that encourage the spouse.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)
¹¹ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Let love rule.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Allow no competition to make the spouse feel less than your priority.

Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
²⁴ Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Grow up and become mature by putting away the childish pursuits.

2 Timothy 2:22 (KJV)
²² Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Remain committed to each other and accept each other’s family as your own.

Ruth 1:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Be careful of who your friends are.

1 Corinthians 5:9 (KJV)
⁹ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB)
³³ Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Be honest and open with each other. If there is a misstep, be willing to forgive and permit healing to take place.

James 5:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
⁸ And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Keep God at the center of the relationship at all times.

Psalm 46:5 (KJV)
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.