August 23

Written by Bill Grandi on August 23rd, 2022

Want to feel old? Have your youngest daughter celebrate her 43rd birthday today. Now that makes me feel old. 🙂  Happy Birthday Janna!

Now for the task at hand. First, a recap of the first two principles:

#1- God doesn’t need your strength to guide you, but you do need His strength to recognize His guidance. 

#2- Make sure you are all in for Jesus. Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” 

I have spent the past couple of devotions writing about #2.  A summary:

  • Trust the Father He knows best.
  • Know Him first and foremost.

What we find out is one-just one- of the issues with today’s church, and by proxy many individuals, is the latter principle. There are too many who want to test the waters but not commit. It reminds me of the person who sticks a toe in the water; then maybe a foot; then may their leg or legs, but then that is as far as they go. They might be afraid of the water. The water might be “too cold.” It might be too crowded for their liking. Who knows? But for whatever reason they won’t go all in.

Need I make the application? We all know people (maybe even us) who will “commit,” but only so far. They are sort of half in and half out.

Of course, Jesus speaks to that state of affairs. In Rev. 3: 15-16 he says to the church at Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (NASB2020)

I take this principle to mean that being all in for Jesus is essential to “hearing” His voice and following His path…no matter where it may lead. BE. ALL. IN.

Review those first two principles again. is God your strength? Are you all in?

Tomorrow we move on.

 

6 Comments so far ↓

  1. I’m all in. As a matter of fact, in the deep end. Nothing or no one is as important to me as God and His Word. He has given me revelations of His Covenant over the years. I love #1, Bill. I’ve read it a few times. I can do nothing in my own strength, but in His, I can do all things and hear His voice guiding and directing me. How blessed I am that He allows me to walk with Him.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      It is a blessing and an honor to walk with Him Diane. It humbles me that He includes me.

  2. Ryan S. says:

    Hey B, Thanks for the recap. I really had to do a gut (Heart) check, as I read your post this morning. Especially as I came across your reference to Rev. 3: 15-16. I can SAY that I am all in. I can talk the talk, I can dress the part, I can put on the face, I can bury the attitude, the thoughts, even my actions while in public. — The real question I have to ask myself is what does my private life look like? What is my attitude toward those who cut me off in traffic. How am I treating my family? How am I at loving those who disagree with me? That have a different world-view than my own? If I am completely honest with myself, with your readers, but most importantly with God… I have a lot of work to do. Better yet, I have a lot of work that needs done in me. Thankfully, I am not in this pursuit alone and God does not expect me to be perfect… If He did, He wouldn’t have needed to offer Jesus in my place. I think grace is absolutely essential and freely given, I also think that I should NEVER take it for granted abuse it… I am here to confess that I have done just that more than I would like to admit. I think that is the “lukewarm” God is referring to. Either commit or just stop, I cannot be what God is calling me to be if I am tippy toeing around the pool side.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      That is a very honest confession Ryan. One that I would have to say can stop at my front door as well. The front door of my heart. I know I give, or at least try to give a good impression that I have it all together. Only God and I know the sin that lurks in my heart and sometimes is hidden from view. Thanks for the gut check this morning for me as well.

  3. It’s all or nothing!
    Blessings, Bill, and Happy Birthday, Janna!

    • Bill Grandi says:

      That is exactly what it is supposed to be. And I will have to tell her since I know she doesn’t read this. Hmmm. None of my family does. 🙂