Reflections, April 22, 2012

Reflections April 22nd, 2012

“Are You All In?”

“For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork s). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification],” Romans 1:20 AMP

Scripture Reading For This Week: Genesis 1, 2; Judges 6; Isaiah 56; Hebrews 13; James 4; 1 Peter 2...

Are you all in today? Does God have every part you, or just some of you? Many have come to the Lord in need. As God has answered, we have submitted—partially. There are things in our lives that we have yet to surrender to God. There are parts of us that we have held back. Well...today God wants to know: Are you all in? There is much He wants to do for you, but cannot because you have yet to fully give it all over to Him.

I declare and decree that this week's Reflections will be a source of encouragement and food for your spirit and soul. This is the week that you surrender all, and come into the full knowledge of just how much God loves you and has ordained for your life, and those you love. Don not be afraid to give God your all. He has nothing but the best for you...always.

We say we have given our all to the Lord, but have we really? There are things that we are still holding onto that are keeping us from receiving all that God has ordained for our lives in this earth. We walk around saying that we love the Lord, but we do not completely trust the Lord. If we did; surely we would surrender all to God, and allow Him to do in us what needs to be done.

What is it? What is it that holds us back from giving God what belongs to Him? What is it that keeps us from surrendering all parts of our lives: the good, the bad, the ugly, the downright shameful, to God? He knows everything already! So why can't we just give God our all?

Oh yes...we must continue our discussion on trust...trusting God 100%. I know...there are some of us that can trust God for certain things, but not with all things. It is evident by the way in which we hold onto things; afraid to let certain things go. We will never be able to walk in the fullness of God if we cannot learn to release all the things that we are holding onto.

God has given us all of Him...100%. No holds bar. Yet, we have come to God with half-filled cups; expecting God to pour into us when our vessels have yet to be completely emptied. Here's the deal,beloved: We must bring to God our cups full with all that concerns us...everything...and in His presence we can pour it all out; surrendering all to Him. Giving God our dirty laundry, so to speak. And once that cup is emptied before Him (for the Father is the only one who can clean it), He will in return fill it with all that He has ordained for you.

When we are all in, God gives us access to all of Him. He reveals more of Himself, His word, His plan for our lives. When we fully submit our hearts and our minds and even our fears and weaknesses; God takes it and in return gives us love, strength, mercy and grace. But we must be all in.

How many of us are still walking that line where we have given God part of hearts, but we still want to have and live our lives our own way; on our own terms? What keeps you from giving God all of you? What is so precious; or what do you believe is so precious about that which you seem to can't let go of in comparison to the Father? We never look at that way, though.

We feel like we are going to lose or miss out on something if we go all in. Well you're right. We are. We're going to lose death and gain eternal life. We're going to miss the hell and spend eternity in heave n with our Heavenly Father. We are going to lose shame and receive glory. We're going to be given beauty for our ashes!

When I was a young girl, my mom, the pastor and his wife, and a few other brothers and sisters in Christ would go out witnessing on Saturdays. I hated it! I'm not going to lie. We were in church like three days a week already, and the last thing I wanted to do was give up my Saturdays; especially to go witnessing. How embarrassing, I thought! Oh the dread! But you learn as you grow. Anyway, the times I did go, I can recall some of the people saying the exact same thing when asked would they like to come to church: Uh...sure. As soon as I get myself together, I'm going to come to church. As soon as I get myself straight, I'll be there. I don't want to come to church like this. As soon as I get some new clothes...and etcetera.

Sound familiar? But the truth is; if we could get ourselves together, there wouldn't had been no need for Jesus. The sad thing is, many people still think like this. They still believe that they have to do something first in order to prepare themselves to come to God. And the even sadder part is—the Church has played a huge part in this continuing fallacy. Our propensity for judgment has made people feel uncomfortable and unwanted, feeling like they have to do something before they can come to church or to God. And what's worse—there are believers that still have that mindset and have been unable to go all in and surrender to God all that is within them.

Beloved...God wants us all in! He wants everything..no matter what it is. We do not have the ability to get ourselves together on our own. We need Jesus. We need to empty out our cups before Him so that He can fill them up. He cannot pour His abundance into cups that have not been washed by His blood. He cannot pour in His the fullness of all that He has ordained for us, if we do not surrender all that we hold within us to Him.

It doesn't matter to God what you look like, what you've done, where you've been, what you wear, how you feel. God wants you and loves you just the way you are. And only God has the power to wash away everything that has ever hurt you or stopped you or wounded you.

Yes. We may have scars from the battles we have been in. But those scars are from wounds that God can heal, and the scars become our testimony of how we made it. Of, how God brought us through. Of, how God delivered us. Of, how much God cares for us. And we can tell someone else of the liberty that comes when you trust God 100% and go all in, surrendering all that you are to Him. Every hurt, all the pain, the hate, the anger, the frustrations, the shame, the guilt, the alcohol, the drugs, the prostitution, the lying, the stealing, the backbiting, the gossiping, the adultery, the fornication, the witchcraft and rebellion, the unforgiveness...all of it! Only God's love can cleanse all that!

Don't let anyone stop you from coming to God. Don't allow yourself to hold back from God. When God says He loves you just as you are...He means it! He sees the blood of His Son that was shed to cover our sins: past, present and future. When you yield to God, trust Him 100%, then you can give your all, and receive all that He has waiting just for you. So; are you all in?

I decree that Spirit of God is moving in your life, as you surrender all to Him. The spirit of peace and of prosperity finds rest in your lives: spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially. As you give all in to God this week, you will see mighty things take place in your life. You are Blessed. Now go...and Be a Blessing.

©2012. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.