Thursday, December 5, 2013
The View from the Window of Complete Surrender is Amazing!
When we view life through the window of surrender, the view is
breathtaking. God's love for us is so great that He sent His only Son
that we might have life, and that we might have life to the full. Paul
says that we cannot even comprehend the depth or breadth of God's
amazing love and the future He has planned for us, and that our strength
comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is able to do
immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine through the power that is
at work in us(Ephesians 3:14-20). This power and fullness of the Holy
Spirit is only as alive and at work to the extent that we are
surrendered to the will and purpose of God. We are experiencing some
struggles, and yet I know that as I surrender completely to the will and
purpose of God, He will meet our needs according to His riches in
Christ Jesus. Thank you Heavenly Father for loving me and for providing
for me and my family, and for blessing us with Your presence. I pray
that I will live a life of complete surrender and obedience to Your
will, and that I will trust You completely to meet our needs and to see
us through our time of struggle. Help us to live sacrificially, taking
up our cross daily in our service to You, and that we will be the salt
and light to others that need a touch from Heaven. In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Work Hard and be Enthusiastic
Romans 12:1-21
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with
you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice
-- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you,
is this too much to ask?"
2
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you
will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and
pleasing and perfect his will really is"
As we look at Romans 12:1-2, we see that the true way to worship is through our complete surrender, and sacrificial living. We are then told to have our minds renewed and to change our way of thinking. This is a complete paradigm shift in the lens through which we view the world. Rather than through our old, selfish lenses, we are now being transformed and renewed so as to view the world through God's lens. My daily prayer, for myself and others, is that we will accept God's perfect plan for us, and that we will take the leap of faith into complete surrender, so as to experience God in a such a way that we see the world as a mission field. A world full of people that will spend eternity in hell, if we do not share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
Romans 12:11
11 " Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." NLT Another translation says to "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically."NLT Surrendering our all to the Holy Spirit, allows Him to lead us into the "good and pleasing and perfect" will of God. What better place to be than exactly where God wants us to be. Surrender today and allow the peace of God to flow through you and into the world that so desperately needs a Savior.
As we look at Romans 12:1-2, we see that the true way to worship is through our complete surrender, and sacrificial living. We are then told to have our minds renewed and to change our way of thinking. This is a complete paradigm shift in the lens through which we view the world. Rather than through our old, selfish lenses, we are now being transformed and renewed so as to view the world through God's lens. My daily prayer, for myself and others, is that we will accept God's perfect plan for us, and that we will take the leap of faith into complete surrender, so as to experience God in a such a way that we see the world as a mission field. A world full of people that will spend eternity in hell, if we do not share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
Romans 12:11
11 " Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." NLT Another translation says to "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically."NLT Surrendering our all to the Holy Spirit, allows Him to lead us into the "good and pleasing and perfect" will of God. What better place to be than exactly where God wants us to be. Surrender today and allow the peace of God to flow through you and into the world that so desperately needs a Savior.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Bearing Fruit
Bearing Fruit
"So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God." 1 Corinthians 4:1 (NIV) Does the world see us as different? When living in full surrender to the Spirit of God, we ought to have a mystery about us that compels others to wonder what makes us different. The world should be in awe of the way we act and react because of the Spirit living out the will of the Father through us as followers of Christ. Francis Chan asks the question of what makes us different from the rest of the world (Forgotten God)? The Bible talks about the Fruit(singular) of the Spirit being evident in our lives. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV). Frances Chan talks about this as being a production of the Spirit's living in us and through us as we live in complete surrender to His will, rather than something we "strive" for through our own will or strength. The evidence of the Spirit is supernatural, and will cause us to be distinctly different from those who are "good" people. Although convicting, I am challenged to be and live fully surrendered as I pick up my cross daily and follow Jesus. My prayer is that Christians everywhere will do the same, so as to change the world.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Surrender
Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [17] For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
As we open God's Word and attempt to develop a relationship with him, we put aside our human desires and fall more deeply in love with God. This leads to a relationship with the Holy Spirit that is unlike anything we can even imagine. As the Scripture says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26 (NIV). Surrendering to the will of the Spirit, brings a peace and a freedom that is beyond our ability to comprehend. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV). I pray that I will become fully surrendered to the Spirit's prompting, and that my light will shine in the world, so as to bring glory to God.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Great Healer
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
It is amazing how complacent we can become. The desire and prayer of my heart is that I will love and serve my Savior as I daily take up my cross and follow him. What a privilege to be called a child of God. No matter what our lives have been, we have the hope of heaven through believing in the shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Whatever Satan tries to tell us, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let's thank Jesus for healing our wounds and shamelessly tell others about His great love!
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
It is amazing how complacent we can become. The desire and prayer of my heart is that I will love and serve my Savior as I daily take up my cross and follow him. What a privilege to be called a child of God. No matter what our lives have been, we have the hope of heaven through believing in the shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Whatever Satan tries to tell us, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let's thank Jesus for healing our wounds and shamelessly tell others about His great love!
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Prayer
I pray for God's protection and blessing on our family. I pray for His guidance and direction for our lives, and that we will be, as Stacy put it, "obedient in the small things as well as the big things.". I pray for Mickey and his family, our church, and our ministry. I pray that God will bring about tremendous change and revival within our youth ministry. I pray that our Cities will be radically changed for God and that our "land will be healed."
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