In many cases, the word surrender is connected with the idea of losing something. Of course, when you surrender to the police, there’s a great possibility that you’ll lose your freedom. When you have to surrender your driver’s license, you lose the opportunity to drive. For some people, in marriage when they surrender they are losing their ability to be independent. And for even more people, to surrender to God is to sacrifice your freedom to live, have fun, or even pursue your future aspirations.
But on the contrary, to surrender to Christ is the most positive opportunity that all of us as human beings have. Surrendering to Christ means willingly giving up your priorities and desires and agenda so that God’s becomes the priority. His agenda, will, desire, and focus becomes the most significant thing. Clearly, surrendering to the Will of God is directly connected to our survival, ability to thrive, and overall satisfaction with life.
The Old Testament Prophet Jonah’s decision to not submit and surrender to God’s Will serves as a great example of the kind of frustration, discontent, and disillusionment that arises when we refuse to surrender to God’s direction.
1 One day long ago, God's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: 2 "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish - as far away from God as he could get. (The Message)
I find it fascinating that many have the thought of seemingly ‘getting away from God’. It is similar to the notion that Adam & Eve ‘hid’ from God in hopes of Him not seeing them. It is clear that we cannot hide from God. But beyond that most basic notion, why would we want to hide or run away from someone who wants to offer us so much?
His Word clearly identifies the benefits of being surrendered to God. He (God) “rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Heb. 11: 6, NLT). He grants unmeasured joy for living (Ps. 40:8). He provides amazing answers to our prayers (Ps. 34:4). He gives sweet rest and lighter life loads (Matthew 11: 28). These, along with many other promises, have become the clear picture of what God provides to those who are surrendered to His plan.
When Jonah surrendered, look at what happened to his life and even the life of others. The voice of God is clearly heard and experienced, people trust God, the spiritual maturity of everyone is raised, the things that divide us get eliminated, and more importantly, we live in the will of God.
5 The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it - rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. (The Message)
It is amazing what we can accomplish when we surrender to God versus living on our own. God has created the universe to surrender to Him and every element of the universe cooperates with us when we surrender to God’s design. Romans 8 says, “5 Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God! 6 Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.” (The Message)
Surrender today to survive!
Scripture of the Day: "The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord." - Jonah 1:13
Showing posts with label surrendering to Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label surrendering to Christ. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Being Wholehearted For God
In the natural, what does it mean to give someone your whole heart? Not a half or a part but your total, complete heart. You have a love for them and nothing or no one could ever take their place, and you would most likely do anything for them. Notice I said most likely, because it takes time getting to the place of giving your all to them and the relationship.
In the spiritual, that’s what God wants from us. We must put Him first on our list and agenda, and not prioritize our lives so that He gets equal or less space and time. Developing a wholehearted desperate love and want for God, requires more turning away from the things of this world and our own personal things that we love and give so much attention to. We want to say like Asaph, Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. (Psalm 73:25, NLT). Other demands and things of and in life sometimes come to distract, dismay, and worry us. But as we become more intimate with Him, He’ll help us keep our focus and take care of us in every situation that comes our way. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34, NKJV).
When we commit to surrendering all and putting Him first in our lives, those other priorities will fall into their proper place. He’s the one who gave us what we have anyway, so He will help us balance them. Let’s be wholehearted for God which is the first and greatest commandment of all, and we will be continually pleasing unto Him.
Scripture of the Day: "Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” - Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)
In the spiritual, that’s what God wants from us. We must put Him first on our list and agenda, and not prioritize our lives so that He gets equal or less space and time. Developing a wholehearted desperate love and want for God, requires more turning away from the things of this world and our own personal things that we love and give so much attention to. We want to say like Asaph, Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. (Psalm 73:25, NLT). Other demands and things of and in life sometimes come to distract, dismay, and worry us. But as we become more intimate with Him, He’ll help us keep our focus and take care of us in every situation that comes our way. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34, NKJV).
When we commit to surrendering all and putting Him first in our lives, those other priorities will fall into their proper place. He’s the one who gave us what we have anyway, so He will help us balance them. Let’s be wholehearted for God which is the first and greatest commandment of all, and we will be continually pleasing unto Him.
Scripture of the Day: "Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” - Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
The Pain of Extraction
Recently I noticed an inconspicuous, faintly visible black spot in the palm of my friend’s hand. Upon enquiry, I learned that the spot was actually the tip of a sharpened pencil that had somehow broken off in her hand that she hadn’t bothered to remove. “Why didn’t you take it out?” I enquired, puzzled. “I tried to a few times, but I soon realized that I’d have to dig too deep and it would make my hand bleed, so I left it.” In my head, shedding a few drops of blood was an okay trade off, but for her the thought of pain outweighed the benefit of having a foreign-object-free hand.
Of course that got me thinking, ‘Isn’t that how we are as human beings?’ Unfortunately, the human dilemma is that we are often more satisfied with suffering the discomfort of an intruding thorn than bearing the pain of having it extracted. For some inconceivable reason, the value of getting free is clouded by the thought of the struggle involved.
I’ve been in waiting rooms where I’ve watched in awe as children who have a phobia of going to the doctor’s office react in sheer fright and panic at the sight of a doctor’s approach. Forget the fact that that child is suffering from a swollen leg, or eyes that have been bruised purple by a near fatal mishap at the playground, or even a broken arm that is in urgent need of attention; no matter how great the injury, the thought of being touched and examined by a doctor with pointy instruments and a white lab coat sends them shrieking in overwhelming dread.
It’s not that we don’t want to be free, but it’s the possible strain in the process that we’d rather avoid. We relish the idea of being richer, thinner, better, freer, holier, happier, healthier, stronger, and the list goes on and on and on. But even though we relish the thought of becoming our better selves, we sometimes dread the thought of sacrificing a few drops of figurative blood in order to get there. I’ve met people who are dying inside because of a toxic relationship they have found themselves in, but who, instead of walking away, remain. They stay, not because they necessarily want to, but because they are afraid of what it may cost to walk away.
Today, I’d like to encourage someone with the word of God. The Bible says that God is a fair trader, more than gracious. When He does an exchange it is always for the better, never for the worse. Beauty He gives for ashes, light for darkness, joy for sadness, and life for death, always. Therefore, you can let go of that thing – that spot in your hand, that relationship that threatens your well-being, that stubborn emotional instability, that sadness, even that complacency that squints defiantly at your destiny. Let it go. Give it up. Surrender it to Jesus. Yes, it might hurt at first as He extracts the grunge and the gangrene that has settled in, but soon the initial pangs of withdrawal will yield to feelings of tremendous freedom. Today, know that there is greater to be gained from surrender to Christ, than there is to be lost.
Scripture of the Day: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” - (Matthew 11:28)
Of course that got me thinking, ‘Isn’t that how we are as human beings?’ Unfortunately, the human dilemma is that we are often more satisfied with suffering the discomfort of an intruding thorn than bearing the pain of having it extracted. For some inconceivable reason, the value of getting free is clouded by the thought of the struggle involved.
I’ve been in waiting rooms where I’ve watched in awe as children who have a phobia of going to the doctor’s office react in sheer fright and panic at the sight of a doctor’s approach. Forget the fact that that child is suffering from a swollen leg, or eyes that have been bruised purple by a near fatal mishap at the playground, or even a broken arm that is in urgent need of attention; no matter how great the injury, the thought of being touched and examined by a doctor with pointy instruments and a white lab coat sends them shrieking in overwhelming dread.
It’s not that we don’t want to be free, but it’s the possible strain in the process that we’d rather avoid. We relish the idea of being richer, thinner, better, freer, holier, happier, healthier, stronger, and the list goes on and on and on. But even though we relish the thought of becoming our better selves, we sometimes dread the thought of sacrificing a few drops of figurative blood in order to get there. I’ve met people who are dying inside because of a toxic relationship they have found themselves in, but who, instead of walking away, remain. They stay, not because they necessarily want to, but because they are afraid of what it may cost to walk away.
Today, I’d like to encourage someone with the word of God. The Bible says that God is a fair trader, more than gracious. When He does an exchange it is always for the better, never for the worse. Beauty He gives for ashes, light for darkness, joy for sadness, and life for death, always. Therefore, you can let go of that thing – that spot in your hand, that relationship that threatens your well-being, that stubborn emotional instability, that sadness, even that complacency that squints defiantly at your destiny. Let it go. Give it up. Surrender it to Jesus. Yes, it might hurt at first as He extracts the grunge and the gangrene that has settled in, but soon the initial pangs of withdrawal will yield to feelings of tremendous freedom. Today, know that there is greater to be gained from surrender to Christ, than there is to be lost.
Scripture of the Day: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” - (Matthew 11:28)
Friday, September 7, 2012
Stop Arguing With Me!
The word “argue” means TO PROVE, or to maintain, BY REASONING; to DEBATE, to DISPUTE; to PERSUADE (INTO, OUT OF); to offer REASONS; a quarrel; a reason put forward in support of an assertion or OPINION; DISCUSSION, PROTEST, theme of discourse. So, who are the one’s arguing with their Creator? God’s People are arguing with Him about what He has said and it is happening on a daily basis! You may be thinking right now, Jamie, I would NEVER argue with My Lord! Well, let us take a look at it and we will start with just one person who did it also.
Exodus 3:10-12 (NLT) shows us God talking to Moses, “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt. 11 But Moses protested to God, Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt? 12 God answered, I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” Moses was PROTESTING or ARGUING with God about what He had just told Moses He wanted him to do, and what God said He WOULD DO! Then we find God still explaining to Moses how He will take care of the assignment that He was giving Moses throughout the rest of Chapter 3. Then in Chapter 4, verse 1 (AMP), we find Moses once again OFFERING REASON, DISPUTING AND TRYING TO PERSUADE God, “And Moses answered, But behold, they will not believe me or listen to and obey my voice; for they will say, The Lord has not appeared to you.”
Then we read on in Chapter 4 of Exodus that God SHOWED Moses by signs and miracles that He was able to back His Words that He was speaking to Moses and fulfilling what He said He would do! Yet, once again we read in Exodus 6:30 (NLT), “But Moses ARGUED with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?” God had given Moses His Word. Father God had shown Himself to Moses and made sure that He had even displayed Himself and His truthfulness and faithfulness, but Moses still wanted to ARGUE, REASON, DISPUTE, PROTEST and GIVE HIS OPINION to God and His Word!
Now, it is SO EASY to look at the accounts and arguments that we can read, that Moses had with God and His Word to him, but WHAT IF THE WORLD COULD READ OUR ARGUMENTS WITH GOD? What if the world could HEAR our arguments with God? Friend, they hear them EVERY DAY! Again, you may be thinking, I do not argue with The Lord, I would never do that! The Bible tells us that in 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV), “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED.” Yet, what do we say when we are feeling and experiencing symptoms in our bodies?
For example, if you FEEL a cold coming on. You are beginning to sneeze. Your throat is beginning to be sore, you feel like a fever is happening in your body and your body is beginning to ache. So, what is one of the first things we do? We start saying, “Boy, I am really not feeling good!” “I feel like I have a fever.” “My throat is sore and I am aching all over!” “I must be getting a cold or the flu!” Now, all of those statements may be a FACT but they are not THE TRUTH! The TRUTH is that you are healed! And The TRUTH Will Outweigh and Prevail Over a FACT, EVERY TIME – IF ALLOWED TO! So, if you and I say the opposite of what God has told us by His Word (for by His stripes we are healed) . . . WE ARE ARGUING WITH HIM! Father God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit need us to get in agreement with what we can and really do have, instead of believing and saying what we feel! When we believe and say the opposite of what God says, we are arguing with Him! GOD HAS TOLD US WHAT THE TRUTH IS IN HIS WORD, SO WE SHOULD NOT BE TELLING HIM THE FACTS THAT WE SEE AND FEEL! That is exactly what Moses was doing! Moses kept telling God what he saw and thought, not what God said! Remember the word “argue” means TO PROVE BY REASONING. You are speaking and proving to yourself and others by your own reasoning and symptoms that you are sick, instead of proving and reasoning with yourself and others what God said in His Word, that for by His stripes you are healed!
Church, the world is listening everyday to what we believe about our bodies, families and finances just to name a few . . . . AND ARE THEY HEARING WHAT WE THINK AND FEEL OR WHAT GOD HAS SAID? It’s time for us to yes, surrender our lives and be born again and yet to surrender our lives every day after we are born again to Jesus! Are we living according to His Word or our own thoughts, ideas and words? We are the vessels that God uses now and He is telling us as His Children, as you have told your children many times . . . STOP ARGUING WITH ME!
Verse of the Day: “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? . . .” Isaiah 45:9 (NLT)
Exodus 3:10-12 (NLT) shows us God talking to Moses, “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt. 11 But Moses protested to God, Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt? 12 God answered, I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” Moses was PROTESTING or ARGUING with God about what He had just told Moses He wanted him to do, and what God said He WOULD DO! Then we find God still explaining to Moses how He will take care of the assignment that He was giving Moses throughout the rest of Chapter 3. Then in Chapter 4, verse 1 (AMP), we find Moses once again OFFERING REASON, DISPUTING AND TRYING TO PERSUADE God, “And Moses answered, But behold, they will not believe me or listen to and obey my voice; for they will say, The Lord has not appeared to you.”
Then we read on in Chapter 4 of Exodus that God SHOWED Moses by signs and miracles that He was able to back His Words that He was speaking to Moses and fulfilling what He said He would do! Yet, once again we read in Exodus 6:30 (NLT), “But Moses ARGUED with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?” God had given Moses His Word. Father God had shown Himself to Moses and made sure that He had even displayed Himself and His truthfulness and faithfulness, but Moses still wanted to ARGUE, REASON, DISPUTE, PROTEST and GIVE HIS OPINION to God and His Word!
Now, it is SO EASY to look at the accounts and arguments that we can read, that Moses had with God and His Word to him, but WHAT IF THE WORLD COULD READ OUR ARGUMENTS WITH GOD? What if the world could HEAR our arguments with God? Friend, they hear them EVERY DAY! Again, you may be thinking, I do not argue with The Lord, I would never do that! The Bible tells us that in 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV), “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED.” Yet, what do we say when we are feeling and experiencing symptoms in our bodies?
For example, if you FEEL a cold coming on. You are beginning to sneeze. Your throat is beginning to be sore, you feel like a fever is happening in your body and your body is beginning to ache. So, what is one of the first things we do? We start saying, “Boy, I am really not feeling good!” “I feel like I have a fever.” “My throat is sore and I am aching all over!” “I must be getting a cold or the flu!” Now, all of those statements may be a FACT but they are not THE TRUTH! The TRUTH is that you are healed! And The TRUTH Will Outweigh and Prevail Over a FACT, EVERY TIME – IF ALLOWED TO! So, if you and I say the opposite of what God has told us by His Word (for by His stripes we are healed) . . . WE ARE ARGUING WITH HIM! Father God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit need us to get in agreement with what we can and really do have, instead of believing and saying what we feel! When we believe and say the opposite of what God says, we are arguing with Him! GOD HAS TOLD US WHAT THE TRUTH IS IN HIS WORD, SO WE SHOULD NOT BE TELLING HIM THE FACTS THAT WE SEE AND FEEL! That is exactly what Moses was doing! Moses kept telling God what he saw and thought, not what God said! Remember the word “argue” means TO PROVE BY REASONING. You are speaking and proving to yourself and others by your own reasoning and symptoms that you are sick, instead of proving and reasoning with yourself and others what God said in His Word, that for by His stripes you are healed!
Church, the world is listening everyday to what we believe about our bodies, families and finances just to name a few . . . . AND ARE THEY HEARING WHAT WE THINK AND FEEL OR WHAT GOD HAS SAID? It’s time for us to yes, surrender our lives and be born again and yet to surrender our lives every day after we are born again to Jesus! Are we living according to His Word or our own thoughts, ideas and words? We are the vessels that God uses now and He is telling us as His Children, as you have told your children many times . . . STOP ARGUING WITH ME!
Verse of the Day: “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? . . .” Isaiah 45:9 (NLT)
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Take Your Hands Off
God has a plan for your life. In most cases many in The Body of Christ have a hard time believing this. It may be difficult to believe the God we serve has awesomeness waiting for them. After all we know, what we have done, what we have said, the things we have thought, and we may think how someone could be so great, could have something so awesome in store for our lives.
The fact is, God looks beyond our imperfections and goes into the depths. He still sees us the way He created us. We are the ones who hold the issues. He is only able to help us see ourselves and our future the way He sees it (Jeremiah 29:11) by us letting go of the hold we think we have. We must learn to trust and allow Him to do the work (Proverbs 3:5). God doesn’t have any problem with doing just that. We have to come to this understanding, He wants the humble not the proud. He wants those who are willing to lay it all down for His sake. He can only move through hands that are wide open towards Him and His way (Isaiah 55:8).
He can only change the situation if you believe Him to change the situation. God can! He can and He will help. He is our HELP! He can do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). This is your time to succeed. Allow Him to take control. Fall back and trust The God you serve. If you serve Him and love Him, believe Him to do what He says He will do. There is no one on this earth you can trust more than Him. He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrew 13:5). He will stand for you and He will fight for you. He is the one that can make all the difference in any circumstance. Take your hands off and give room for the Master to do His work in Jesus Name.
Scripture of the day: "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” - Jeremiah 17:7
The fact is, God looks beyond our imperfections and goes into the depths. He still sees us the way He created us. We are the ones who hold the issues. He is only able to help us see ourselves and our future the way He sees it (Jeremiah 29:11) by us letting go of the hold we think we have. We must learn to trust and allow Him to do the work (Proverbs 3:5). God doesn’t have any problem with doing just that. We have to come to this understanding, He wants the humble not the proud. He wants those who are willing to lay it all down for His sake. He can only move through hands that are wide open towards Him and His way (Isaiah 55:8).
He can only change the situation if you believe Him to change the situation. God can! He can and He will help. He is our HELP! He can do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). This is your time to succeed. Allow Him to take control. Fall back and trust The God you serve. If you serve Him and love Him, believe Him to do what He says He will do. There is no one on this earth you can trust more than Him. He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrew 13:5). He will stand for you and He will fight for you. He is the one that can make all the difference in any circumstance. Take your hands off and give room for the Master to do His work in Jesus Name.
Scripture of the day: "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” - Jeremiah 17:7
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Letting Go
Sometimes it’s easy to surrender to Christ and other times it’s not. I love those easy days, but what about the ones where I don’t feel like surrendering? You know how it goes—where you’re like: “Yup, I know what’s the right thing to do, but to be honest, I just really don’t feel like doing it. Yeah, I know I’m in a bit of a mess making some wrong decisions and I know what I’m supposed to do, but I’m just kinda enjoying the mess I’m making at the moment.”
In moments like these this is the worst time to run from God, because did you know that he’s looking upon you with the hugest smile and love even in the midst of your junky choices? He actually loves when you draw near to him during these times of craziness!!! But here’s the kicker--which I’m sure you’ve heard before--so let’s “cliché it” for a moment: God loves you exactly the way you are right now, but he loves you WAY TOO MUCH to let you stay the same. So when you start to notice the nudge of God wanting to re-arrange the inner house’s furniture a bit (you’re the house; your ways of doing things is the furniture) let him in! Yes, God is a redeeming God--but also know this--before he wants to be known as a God that wants to cleanse and redeem you he wants to be known as a loving father who madly and passionately loves you, pursues you, thinks about you, and is incredibly & wildly enraptured by you.
Let’s get back quick to the conversation mentioned above where we’re in a position of enjoying junky choices. Personally, if it wasn’t for me FIRST knowing and having the out-of-this-world revelation of God’s passionate love for me, I probably wouldn’t really care about a God who was ONLY concerned about how pure and holy I was acting. I mean seriously, can you imagine having a parent who didn’t love you at all, but only talked to you or noticed you when you were doing something wrong in order to fix you?
Yeah, well God is not that parent. Is God a redeeming God who cleanses us of our sin by the power of the shed blood of Jesus? Yes and thank God. But just a sweet reminder that he’s looking at you with his love for you first and foremost before he is concerned with molding you into his image of beautiful righteousness. So, THIS is what helps me surrender to Christ and what he wants for me—knowing him, knowing his love. And when I deep down know this, it is all the more a pleasure to surrender to this almighty God who is beyond worthy of my love. If the greatest lover that ever existed wants my surrender, I’d be a fool not to give it to him. Yep, a love-sick, dearly beloved, child of God signing out now.
Scripture of the Day: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8: 37-39.
In moments like these this is the worst time to run from God, because did you know that he’s looking upon you with the hugest smile and love even in the midst of your junky choices? He actually loves when you draw near to him during these times of craziness!!! But here’s the kicker--which I’m sure you’ve heard before--so let’s “cliché it” for a moment: God loves you exactly the way you are right now, but he loves you WAY TOO MUCH to let you stay the same. So when you start to notice the nudge of God wanting to re-arrange the inner house’s furniture a bit (you’re the house; your ways of doing things is the furniture) let him in! Yes, God is a redeeming God--but also know this--before he wants to be known as a God that wants to cleanse and redeem you he wants to be known as a loving father who madly and passionately loves you, pursues you, thinks about you, and is incredibly & wildly enraptured by you.
Let’s get back quick to the conversation mentioned above where we’re in a position of enjoying junky choices. Personally, if it wasn’t for me FIRST knowing and having the out-of-this-world revelation of God’s passionate love for me, I probably wouldn’t really care about a God who was ONLY concerned about how pure and holy I was acting. I mean seriously, can you imagine having a parent who didn’t love you at all, but only talked to you or noticed you when you were doing something wrong in order to fix you?
Yeah, well God is not that parent. Is God a redeeming God who cleanses us of our sin by the power of the shed blood of Jesus? Yes and thank God. But just a sweet reminder that he’s looking at you with his love for you first and foremost before he is concerned with molding you into his image of beautiful righteousness. So, THIS is what helps me surrender to Christ and what he wants for me—knowing him, knowing his love. And when I deep down know this, it is all the more a pleasure to surrender to this almighty God who is beyond worthy of my love. If the greatest lover that ever existed wants my surrender, I’d be a fool not to give it to him. Yep, a love-sick, dearly beloved, child of God signing out now.
Scripture of the Day: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8: 37-39.
Are You Bankrupt?
People all over the world are exhausted and stressed because they are working extremely long hours. Some never stop to spend quality time with their family and friends. Others health is failing because their work load is taking a physical toll on them as well. These and many other things are all happening in the pursuit of wealth.
Finally the day arrives when they have met the level of wealth they strived for and they look around and realize they are all alone and too tired to even enjoy the wealth they have obtained.
Being wealthy is not just calculated by the amount of money in your bank account or the number of investments you have. There is financial wealth, but there is also spiritual, mental and emotionally wealth that should be taken into consideration.
How much time do you invest in your relationships with your spouse or significant other, children, siblings, parents and even close friends? Do you deposit into their lives or are you the one always making withdrawals? Are you there for them in their time of need or are you nowhere to be found unless you need something? Do your kids only see your back as they attempt to communicate with you because they are competing with whatever is on your computer screen?
Does God only hear from you when you are in a bind or faced with negative news? Or do you take the time to just tell Him thank you for being God? When is the last time you committed to studying His word and actually kept that commitment? Is there a deficit in your prayer time? Have you ever started a prayer with something other than, “God I need, or God I want?” Do you walk in faith in God or just trust your personal resources to meet your needs?
When is the last time you exercised or ate something other than fast food? Do you take time to rest and allow your body to rejuvenate? Do you know how to occasionally turn off the cell phones, laptops, ipads, etc and unplug for a mental break?
I know I am personally guilty of almost all of the above …
Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that wealth is a bad thing. However, I am suggesting that if financial wealth is your only goal, you may find yourself financially wealthy yet bankrupt in every other area of your life.
Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Instead lets all make a commitment right now to find balance in our pursuit of wealth. Don’t let financial gain be the only thing on our radar. Instead let’s invest in our spiritual, emotional and mental wealth as well. In the end, those investments will bring forth the greatest returns.
Scripture of the Day: “Don’t be misled. No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others – ignoring God -harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds. But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8
Finally the day arrives when they have met the level of wealth they strived for and they look around and realize they are all alone and too tired to even enjoy the wealth they have obtained.
Being wealthy is not just calculated by the amount of money in your bank account or the number of investments you have. There is financial wealth, but there is also spiritual, mental and emotionally wealth that should be taken into consideration.
How much time do you invest in your relationships with your spouse or significant other, children, siblings, parents and even close friends? Do you deposit into their lives or are you the one always making withdrawals? Are you there for them in their time of need or are you nowhere to be found unless you need something? Do your kids only see your back as they attempt to communicate with you because they are competing with whatever is on your computer screen?
Does God only hear from you when you are in a bind or faced with negative news? Or do you take the time to just tell Him thank you for being God? When is the last time you committed to studying His word and actually kept that commitment? Is there a deficit in your prayer time? Have you ever started a prayer with something other than, “God I need, or God I want?” Do you walk in faith in God or just trust your personal resources to meet your needs?
When is the last time you exercised or ate something other than fast food? Do you take time to rest and allow your body to rejuvenate? Do you know how to occasionally turn off the cell phones, laptops, ipads, etc and unplug for a mental break?
I know I am personally guilty of almost all of the above …
Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that wealth is a bad thing. However, I am suggesting that if financial wealth is your only goal, you may find yourself financially wealthy yet bankrupt in every other area of your life.
Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Instead lets all make a commitment right now to find balance in our pursuit of wealth. Don’t let financial gain be the only thing on our radar. Instead let’s invest in our spiritual, emotional and mental wealth as well. In the end, those investments will bring forth the greatest returns.
Scripture of the Day: “Don’t be misled. No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others – ignoring God -harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds. But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Half-Baked Prayers
One of the hardest disciplines to master in the kitchen is to leave that oven door alone. I’ve had more less-than-perfect outcomes than you could shake a stick at, all from knowing good and well that I shouldn’t open that door but…just…can’t…stand…to…wait! Aw man! So the cake falls, the biscuits are flat and doughy, the cornbread didn’t get that killer crust on it. Oh, you can salvage what’s left, as many times I have, but the finished product is never as good as if we’d left well enough alone.
There are a lot of kitchen-isms where this same principle applies. The crock pot that can’t come to a simmer because the lid keeps getting picked up; the eggs that would be a beautiful big scramble, but the impatient hand has stirred them in the skillet till they look more like yellow grits. And though we know even as we’re breaking the rule that it’s going to affect the outcome, we still can’t bring ourselves not to act.
Could we be sabotaging many of our prayers by having some of these impatient tendencies? Often instead of being content to let the Lord do a complete work, we impatiently keep “popping the door open,” so to speak. And our interference begins. No, God…go over THERE. Do it THIS way. Let me get married to THAT person. I want to minister like HER. I want to be successful like HIM. Here…let me help you! You’re not working it out fast enough…nevermind, I’ve got this one, God! Does it sound like you? It sure sounds like me…many, many times.
You’ve committed something to Him, and now it’s time to step back. Give it time. Give HIM time. Some answers to prayer can only come when the heat remains steady in areas where you’re just not meant to be snooping. The more often you try to step in and “help,” and the more often you have to be in control, the longer it may take to have your prayers answered. And you may not like the outcome as well after your tampering has compromised it.
Soothe your impatient soul with the Word of God today if there’s something you’ve asked for and have not yet received the answer. As surely as tribulation works our patience, tempering our actions with God’s promises helps us to develop integrity and character; moreover, our restraint, or lack thereof, will well determine the type of outcome we have to what’s “in the oven.” Don’t worry…God’s recipe is foolproof and His timing is impeccable. Keep your mitts off the oven door and your eyes on Him.
Father, thank you for granting those petitions which line up with Your will and Your Word, and thank You for not granting other prayers I’ve asked in ignorance or selfishness. One of my greatest challenges in this microwave world is not to adopt an entitled, impatient mindset toward You, my Sovereign God. Today I purpose not to be conformed, but instead transformed. I renew my mind again in Your Word and I bask in Your presence. I rest in the shadow of Your wings and I trust You to work all things for my good, even when I don’t always see it. Holy Spirit, I tune my spiritual ears to hear Your instructions. I determine not to speak or act in haste regarding those things I’ve committed into my Father’s hands. I surrender all in Jesus’ name, and I take upon me Your sweet peace as a confirmation. Order my steps aright today, O Lord.
Scripture of the Day: “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” - Galatians 6:9
There are a lot of kitchen-isms where this same principle applies. The crock pot that can’t come to a simmer because the lid keeps getting picked up; the eggs that would be a beautiful big scramble, but the impatient hand has stirred them in the skillet till they look more like yellow grits. And though we know even as we’re breaking the rule that it’s going to affect the outcome, we still can’t bring ourselves not to act.
Could we be sabotaging many of our prayers by having some of these impatient tendencies? Often instead of being content to let the Lord do a complete work, we impatiently keep “popping the door open,” so to speak. And our interference begins. No, God…go over THERE. Do it THIS way. Let me get married to THAT person. I want to minister like HER. I want to be successful like HIM. Here…let me help you! You’re not working it out fast enough…nevermind, I’ve got this one, God! Does it sound like you? It sure sounds like me…many, many times.
You’ve committed something to Him, and now it’s time to step back. Give it time. Give HIM time. Some answers to prayer can only come when the heat remains steady in areas where you’re just not meant to be snooping. The more often you try to step in and “help,” and the more often you have to be in control, the longer it may take to have your prayers answered. And you may not like the outcome as well after your tampering has compromised it.
Soothe your impatient soul with the Word of God today if there’s something you’ve asked for and have not yet received the answer. As surely as tribulation works our patience, tempering our actions with God’s promises helps us to develop integrity and character; moreover, our restraint, or lack thereof, will well determine the type of outcome we have to what’s “in the oven.” Don’t worry…God’s recipe is foolproof and His timing is impeccable. Keep your mitts off the oven door and your eyes on Him.
Father, thank you for granting those petitions which line up with Your will and Your Word, and thank You for not granting other prayers I’ve asked in ignorance or selfishness. One of my greatest challenges in this microwave world is not to adopt an entitled, impatient mindset toward You, my Sovereign God. Today I purpose not to be conformed, but instead transformed. I renew my mind again in Your Word and I bask in Your presence. I rest in the shadow of Your wings and I trust You to work all things for my good, even when I don’t always see it. Holy Spirit, I tune my spiritual ears to hear Your instructions. I determine not to speak or act in haste regarding those things I’ve committed into my Father’s hands. I surrender all in Jesus’ name, and I take upon me Your sweet peace as a confirmation. Order my steps aright today, O Lord.
Scripture of the Day: “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” - Galatians 6:9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)