Don’t Give Me Anymore ~~Blah! Blah! Blah!

I read an article this week concerning the Apostle John. It was told that when John was at Ephesus and well stricken in age, he had to be carried by his disciples in order to teach. At that time, he was only able to put together a statement of a few words and basically taught the same thing each time. “Little children, love one another.” Finally after his disciples had grown quite tired of his teaching, they asked him why he always said the same thing. His answer was this, “Because it is the Lord’s precept, and if it alone is done, it is enough.” (Jerome, commentary on Galatians, from R. Alan Culpepper, John, the Son of Zebedee)



John’s disciples thought that his teaching was nothing more than blah, blah, blah because they had heard it over and over again. Yet, in truth, his teaching was more important than his disciples were aware. It takes patience and practice to be able to apply this principle of God. You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18



Today’s devotional is much the same. You and I have heard it before. I needed to hear it even again.  It may sound “blah, blah, blah” to you. But think of this, are you and I applying what we know with patience and practice?  Have we mastered this subject area?  I wonder!



Entering into Joyce Meyer’s book, Look Great Feel Great, I find that she has set 12 keys for great health. Before actually reading anything, I began to think about the significance of the number twelve. It came to mind that twelve was the number of stones on the high priest’s ephod (description from Old Testament scriptures.) Each stone was a different color and signified a different tribe of Israel. This was the founding of a new nation to which, God ruled supreme. So twelve for me represents “government” and in a sense we will be governing our lives to make positive changes if we adhere to the suggestions offered! After I began to read I found that Joyce actually alludes to this governing briefly.



When it comes to the area of becoming healthy, many times we set the stage and go after it on our own. If we need to exercise, we search for the types of exercise to achieve certain goals. We call up our willpower to kick into high gear! We do it ourselves. If it’s diet we need to change, we call upon our own willpower to change our poor eating habits into good ones. There are other habits we sometimes need to change and we determine through our own willpower that we will do it. There’s a problem here! Do you see it yet? What are we actually saying when we use the phrase “our willpower”? You might not like to hear this, but we are saying, “I will do it. I am in control!”



We often don’t realize that we have no power except that which God has given us. Nothing belongs to us. Could it be that the reason we fail so often comes from the fact that we take command when it is not ours to take? Christians, know this, the Kingdom of God is at hand! That means it’s a “right now” happening! It’s not something that is about to happen but it is happening! In this Kingdom, God is the authority. He was the authority, He is the authority and He is the authority yet to come. He is in all these states of being at one time. We don’t know how that can happen because we only understand and experience linear time. But God is in all places at once… past, present and future! What a wonderful mystery!  (We don't have to understand it, just believe it!)



Now, here’s where the blah, blah, blah comes in… We are not respecting the fact that God is the authority over our lives. If we want real change, we must commit ourselves to God’s authority.



How many times have we heard this but never really paid attention to it? In my last three blog-posts, following Joyce’s lead messages, I mentioned just how valuable we are to God. But do we get it yet?

• What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

• Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Matthew 6:26

• So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

• Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” Genesis 1:27-30

We are created in His image, blessed and given everything just as Adam and Eve. Do we get it yet? We’re valuable to God! Blah, blah, blah…

• Jesus speaking to Nicodemus: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

• Jesus teaching: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10

We are so valuable that God gave His own Son to pay the price for us. We are so valuable that He continues to give us a rich and satisfying life. We’re important to God! Do we get it yet?   Is it still just blah, blah, blah…





Now, put the two thoughts together:

#1 God made us in His image and we are valuable to Him.
#2 God is the supreme authority and we need to respect and honor Him by asking for His help.



Joyce Meyer’s says the first key is God. In order to respect his authority, we must not leave God out of any area of our lives. Willpower does not factor into the equation with God since “willpower” is all about our selves being in control. Christians, we have been bought with a price. When we have given ourselves to the Lord Jesus, we are not to have a will of our own any longer but strive to always be in the will of God for He dwells within us.



We say, “Oh no, I can’t do this. It’s too hard!” We are right. We can’t do it, but God can! We don’t have any power in ourselves.  This is why we can accomplish something for a while, but then we turn back and make the same mistakes. How long do we have to stay on this lesson to get it? God is merciful and gives us chance after chance to master whatever test is before us. He has make-ups tests, too.  We will take the test again and again until we get it… so why do we continue to turn to anyone or anything except God? Why do we do that?

•  (Jesus speaking) Apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
•  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

We are not free to live the life God intended until we break away from the mental bondage that keeps telling us we are in control!

Recognize God’s authority, call out to Him and ask for help. He is concerned with everything about us and knows everything about us already. Yet, He won’t get involved unless we ask for it.




In her book, Joyce Meyer goes into more detail. But words on the pages are just words on the pages. These words will mean nothing if we don’t activate them with believing action. Put your faith into action.



I heard another little story this week, how an old man took a boy out in a boat. He was using two oars to travel down the river. Imprinted on one oar was the word “faith” and on the other was the word “works”. The young boy asked what those words meant, so the old man said, “Watch.” He put the oar that said “works” inside the boat and began to use only the oar called “faith”. Round and round he went, going nowhere. Then he said again, “Watch.” This time he placed the oar that said “faith” inside the boat and began to use only the ore called “works.” Again round and round he went, going nowhere. Finally he said, “Watch.”   This time he put the oars called “faith” and “works” into the water together. The boat immediately moved in a straightforward direction at which point the young boy was able to understand and said, “I see.”



Do we get it yet? 

I pray we come to realize that knowing God as our authority is not blah...  Let's keep making transforming decisions that He ordains, following guidelines that have already been presented through His Word!







This devotional was inspired by Joyce Meyer’s book, Look Great Feel Great.