Say All In to the Lord!!!!

 

Play it safe. Hedge your bets. Know when to fold ‘em. Wonderful phrases used often in movies and real life. Trouble is they don’t play out as true in the spirit life. Sure, we can play it safe. But playing it safe won’t get you true love. Hedging your bets won’t make you take a leap of faith. Knowing when to fold them simply translates as shallow living.

When we play it safe we say we can handle things ourselves. But can we handle life’s “things” ourselves? Are we even meant to? Does real strength lie within us, or does it somewhere else? If we’re the strongest person we know, how are we doing? 

When we hedge our bets we say I am going to play it safe – I will not step out of my comfort zone and I won’t take a chance that something might go wrong. It is a trust issue. Do we trust ourselves, or are we going to put our trust in God?

When we think that we are the ones who know when to fold ‘em, then we’re simply saying we will control our own destiny. We will only give so much of ourselves, but we won’t give it all. We reserve the right to walk away, give it all up, and refuse to persevere.

Maybe you’ve been playing it safe. You might have had a dream or two, but really, you decided to be practical. That dream is too big, too hard, too monumental a task. So, you’ve decided to play it safe and give up the unknown and uncomfortable for the ordinary and familiar. Maybe you heard God calling you to go places, achieve dreams, branch out – but you decided to hedge your bets – put all your eggs in one basket, hold onto your own personal safety instead of trusting God.

Are you struggling? Maybe you have folded. You’ve thrown in the towel – in life or in relationships. You just felt it was time to quit. You may have quit jobs, ministries, friendships, churches, connections, fellowships or more. Now you find yourself struggling to find peace, a place and joy. When you fold it all in you don’t get to keep anything. You give the good cards as well as the bad back to the pile. You walk away empty handed.

Oh beloved! Don’t despair! Even if you’ve been playing it safe, there’s still time to run to the Lord! Say Yes to His requests! Say all in to His desires for you! Say stay in the game to His wonderful magnificent ways! Follow God first! Follow God completely! And then watch as He gives you the ability and the desire to stay the course in your walk with Him! He has a wonderful plan for your life, but it won’t work if you play it safe! He wants you out of your comfort zone and into His magnificent will! He promises you a better life than you can give yourself! He promises a more wonderful life trip than you can plan yourself!

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters in the game of life!

Galatians 6:9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

I Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Psalm 25:5 Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.

Hebrews 10:36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.

Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.