Overcoming Loneliness

{ January 18, 2012 @ 4:46 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, Religion }
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ImageOvercoming the fear of loneliness requires understanding God’s commitment to you. His fatherhood isn’t based upon mood, sentiment or emotion; it’s based on His unchanging character and reputation. Everything He is, and claims to be, stands or falls apart, depending on His faithfulness to you. “For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own” (1Sa 12:22).
Notice two things in this Scripture: Concern for His good name, and the pleasure He takes in being your Father, are why He will never turn His back on you.
 
Your problems don’t mean that God is judging or disowning you. Satan would love to convince you of that. He will tell you that you’ve failed God, or that God has failed you in order to make you feel unworthy, hopeless, disowned by God and abandoned. No, generations of believers have sung through their soul’s dark night, “Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my father.” In your circumstances and suffering, “God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!” (Lam 3:22-23). Suffering and adversity don’t cancel His faithfulness, He’s “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). He can’t love you once, and not love you always. “After you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling” (1Pe 5:10). Today declare, “Nothing can ever separate me from God’s love.”
So lets get practical, here are two ways to overcome the fear of loneliness;
(1) Understand who you are. Let scientists argue about whether or not there was a “big bang.” If there was, you were not the result of it! Nor did you descend from an amoeba in a pond. You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14-15). Made “in his own image” (Ge 1:27). God didn’t assign your creation to His most powerful angels. You’re a hands-on, made-to-order, one-of-a-kind product. As a redeemed child of God you are His “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph 2:10). Believe that and stand on it—regardless of your feelings or your social status.
(2) Understand who God is. He calls Himself your “Heavenly Father,” not just your creator and designer. Your creator and designer refer to what He does; your Father refers to who He is. “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). These aren’t His roles, they’re His proper names. They are capitalized in Scripture because they are what you are to call Him! When Jesus taught us to pray He didn’t begin with “O, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God.” Yes, He’s all of those, but when it comes to us He wants to be recognized and called “Father” (Mt 6:9). That’s how He thinks about us, and wants us to think and to feel about Him. “Father” is meant to convey warmth, security, acceptance, concern, compassion, protection, assurance, provision, etc. He’s your Father—when you grasp the truth of that you will begin to overcome the fear of loneliness.

Facing your fear…

{ September 28, 2011 @ 8:33 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, music, Religion }
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Fear is something you will experience each time you try something new, like a new job or a new relationship or a new investment strategy. You will never succeed as long as you keep giving in to fear. The corporate world risks failure every time they launch another product. The fashion world risks failure with each new clothing line. Yet they’re willing to take multimillion-dollar risks to improve their merchandise and boost their sales. Do they always win? No, but without taking a risk they’ve no chance of succeeding at all. The poet wrote: “There was a very cautious man who never laughed or played; he never risked, he never tried, he never sang or prayed. And when one day he passed away, his insurance was denied; for since he never really lived, they claimed he never died!” The fact is, we all fail! The failure rate of the human race is one hundred percent, and everyone (you included) qualifies for membership in this club. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with the fear of failure. Faith in God is what gives you the courage to confront your fears and live the life He meant you to live. If you don’t, you’ll suffer the regret of “what could have been.” You’ll never be perfect, so you’ll never be perfectly successful. That doesn’t mean you will not succeed in life—but you must try. Fear is a “spirit,” and if you let it, it will control you. God offers you three better options: “Power…love…a sound mind.”

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2Ti 1:7

A tourist was driving through the countryside when he saw an old farmer sitting in a rocking chair on his porch. Behind his farmhouse was seventy-five acres of land. The tourist asked, “Is that your land?” “Yep,” he replied. “Well, what are you doing with it? Thinking of growing cotton?” the tourist asked. “Nope, I’m afraid the boll weevils will get it,” said the farmer. “What about corn?” the tourist asked. “No, I’m afraid the locusts will eat it,” he replied. “Well,” the tourist asked, “What about raising cattle?” The farmer said, “I’m afraid the price of beef might go down.” “So, what are you going to do with all that prime farmland?” the tourist asked. “Nothing,” said the farmer. “I’m just going to play it safe.”

Is that how you feel? When you choose to play it safe in life, your potential for success is like that barren wasteland. As long as fear rules your life, you won’t step out in faith and fulfill your destiny. The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (See Heb 11:6). Isn’t it better to risk failure and do what God wants, than risk displeasing Him? We’ve all experienced fear that makes us want to pull back. Only those who overcome it go far in life. “Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant” (Ps 35:27). Conquering the fear of failure begins with believing, “God wants me to succeed.” Undergirded by that truth you can not only defy your fears, but defeat them.

learning from Lazarus

{ September 23, 2011 @ 10:11 am } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, German, Leadership, life, music, Religion }
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“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany.” Jn 11:1

From the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, we learn certain lessons. The first lesson is about reason. You cannot have radical faith until you’ve exhausted all reasonable solutions. Mary and Martha didn’t send for Jesus until they’d done everything they could do for Lazarus. Be reasonable; if you can do it for yourself, God won’t do it for you. For example, unless you are willing to change your diet and start eating right, how can you go to God with confidence for healing? Unless you are willing to put the needs of your spouse above your own, what’s the point in praying for a happy marriage? James writes: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (Jas 2:18).

The second lesson is about relationship. Some folks only turn to God when they have a crisis. Prayer is a foreign concept to them until they have a car wreck, or their marriage falls apart, or they lose their job. Then, incredibly, they say, “God, why did You let this happen?” It’s hard to go to someone when you’re in trouble, if you’ve spent no time building a relationship with them. Jesus often spent time at the home of Mary and Martha, eating at their table. They were givers, not takers. “It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick” (Jn 11:2). When you love the Lord to that extent, you can go to Him in faith knowing your needs will be met.

The third lesson is about relinquishment. As long as you believe you can handle the problem on your own, you will not reach for the miracle-working power of God. You have to be in a situation so bad that you pray the prayer of relinquishment: “Lord, I’ve done all I know and things aren’t getting any better. So I’m through trying to fix it. I turn it completely over to You. I don’t know how You’re going to handle it, but I know You love me and want only what’s best for me. So here it is, Lord; it’s all Yours.” This is not a prayer of defeat, it is one of total trust. David wrote: “Though I am surrounded by troubles…The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever” (Ps 138:7-8).

The pastor of a great church tells of running out of money when they were only halfway through the construction of their new church building. The congregation was growing and there was no doubt that they needed the extra space. But the bank wouldn’t give them any more loans. So the pastor prayed and said, “Lord, personally speaking, I don’t need this big building. I already have a place for all my children. You need a place for Yours. I don’t know how You’re going to take care of this, but those are Your kids, Lord, so I’m turning it over to You.” God answered, the money came through, and within a few years they were worshipping in a beautiful building, debt free. So give your problem to God and don’t take it back!

Before leaving the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, here are two more lessons: The fourth lesson is about radical faith. When somebody is dead and buried, that’s as “final” as it gets. To believe God in the face of such a situation requires radical faith. Until this moment Martha had “if only” faith. “Lord, if only You had been here, my brother would not have died” (See Jn 11:21). But then she began to realize what Jesus could do, and moved to “even now” faith. She said to Jesus, “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (v. 22). Radical faith says, “Lord, I believe that my future can be greater than my past, that You can turn the situation around and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, that nothing is too hard for You.” Radical faith in the face of radical circumstances brings radical results. The fifth lesson is about restoration. “Therefore the sisters sent to [Jesus], saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick’…Then…He said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea’” (vv. 3 & 7).

You’ll never know what the Lord can do until you invite Him into your situation. He can give you back what you have loved and lost. He can restore what life has taken from you—and then some! It’s not too late. Send for Jesus. No matter how bad your situation may be, pray, “Lord, even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

What are you called to do?

{ July 6, 2011 @ 2:26 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, Religion }
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Only when you accept failure as final, are you finally a failure. Any time you learn from failure, you’ve taken a step toward success. You can’t hit a home run unless you step up to the plate and face the pitcher. Baseball legend Babe Ruth hit a record 714 home runs, but he also struck out over 1,300 times. During a low period, an interviewer asked him how he overcame discouragement. He replied, “If I just keep swinging the bat, the law of averages says I’ll catch up. In fact, when I’m in a slump, I feel sorry for the pitcher because I know that sooner or later he’s going to pay for it.”

When Benjamin Disraeli attempted to speak in Parliament for the first time they booed him into silence. But he said, “Though I sit down now, the time will come when you will all hear me.” And they did! He became one of Britain’s best orators and prime ministers. Today Disraeli’s critics are forgotten, but his contribution to history lives on.

You say, “How can I recognize my destiny?”

Your destiny is a desire that won’t let you go. Paul said: “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not.” 1Co 9:16.

Your destiny will be more than a job, it will be joy. The Psalmist said: “I delight to do thy will” (Ps 40:8).

Your destiny will unlock your creativity. When God called Gideon a “mighty man of valour” (Jdg 6:12), he was hiding in a cave. But God wasn’t addressing his present state, He was speaking to the potential within him.

So, what are you called to do?

help them!

{ May 25, 2011 @ 3:00 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, German, Leadership, life, Religion }
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Paul writes: “If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” Note the word “caught.” Most of us who stumble thought at one time, “That will never happen to me.” But it did. In a moment of weakness we yielded to evil. When this happens to someone in God’s family we have a responsibility to restore them, regardless of the nature of the sin. In this Scripture this word “restore” has medical overtones. It pictures a physician resetting a broken limb. To restore someone scripturally, we must try and;

Help them to acknowledge their failure. After his affair with Bathsheba, David prayed, “[I have] sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Ps 51:4 NIV).

Help them to accept responsibility for their sin. Even though someone else may have been a contributing factor, we are still accountable to God.

Help them to repent. Repentance involves deep remorse, turning away from our sin, and moving in a new direction.

Help them to make restitution. For example, someone who has done wrong needs to make amends when possible.

Help them to grow stronger through it. Through failure, God teaches us lessons that keep us from wandering into similar situations in the future.

Help them to respond to God’s correction with gratitude. Granted, this is not easy, but when a person comprehends God’s purpose in such discipline—that we might “share in his holiness” (Heb 12:10 NIV)—they begin to thank their heavenly Father for His loving correction. Indeed, it protects them from any root of bitterness springing up in the aftermath of sin.

What is the “spirit” in which we are to restore someone?

The spirit of gentleness. “If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” More than likely, the person is already hurting and as fragile as glass; condemnation will only worsen their plight. Understanding and acceptance—not agreement—are what’s needed here.

The spirit of humility. “Each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” We’re all cut from the same bolt of cloth; we’re all capable of blowing it. Remember, Peter said to Christ, “Lord, others may deny you but not me!” (See Mt 26:33). And he meant it; he didn’t believe it could happen to him! We must be careful about our own lives, examining ourselves, knowing that we too are vulnerable to all types of temptation and sin.

The spirit of love and empathy. Paul writes: “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2 NAS). In this passage the word “burden” means “a heavy load.” It means being willing to walk with them, weep with them and work with them until they’ve been restored. If the hurting cannot find grace, love, and healing in the family of God, where can they go to find it? Dr. Charles Stanley writes: “It should be clear from the scriptures that we have a responsibility to restore a fallen brother or sister. It should also be clear that this sensitive, delicate issue must be handled with great care, lest we damage our witness to an unbelieving world.”

Why is restoration necessary?

To preserve their life. “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death” (Jas 5:20 NIV). When someone you love is sinning, they’re literally killing themselves. If you care, you won’t be able to stand by and watch.

To preserve the church. Paul writes, “Admonish the unruly” (1Th 5:14 NAS). When sin is tolerated and rationalized, members become angry and leave, and others are wounded. A church’s reputation and climate are hurt by those who sin and don’t make amends.

To preserve God’s reputation. When Nathan spoke to David about his sin with Bathsheba, he said, “You have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt” (2Sa 12:14 NIV). When we condemn in the world what we condone in ourselves, our message falls on deaf ears. So Paul writes: “If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” We are to approach them the right way! We must not confront someone about sin when we have the same problem ourselves. We must approach them with the purpose and expectation of restoring. This isn’t a witch hunt, it’s a lamb search. It’s to bring them back into fellowship, and we must get rid of our “holier than thou” attitude. Be honest; it’s only by God’s grace that you’re not caught in the same trespass, right? Tell the one you’re dealing with that you recognize this. Assure them that whatever the sin, it’s not unforgivable. There’s a way back to spiritual health.

“If anyone is caught in any trespass.” Gal 6:1 NAS


water walking

{ March 9, 2011 @ 11:47 am } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, Religion }
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“He walked on the water…to Jesus.”    Mt 14:29

The disciples were out fishing one night when a huge storm struck. About 3:00 a.m. they were terrified by a figure approaching them on the water. “Immediately Jesus spoke…’Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid’…Peter answered…’Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You’…So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water…to Jesus” (vv. 27-29). What does this story teach us:

If the Lord doesn’t call you to do it, don’t!

There’s a story about a man standing at the gates of heaven. Peter says, “Name one great deed you’ve done.” The man replies, “Well, a gang of bikers was threatening a woman so I smacked them, kicked over their bikes and ripped out their nose rings.” Impressed, Peter asks, “When did this happen?” The man answers, “About thirty seconds ago!” To walk on water you must learn to discern between God’s voice and your own impulses.

To experience miracles, you must get out of your comfort zone.

Exchange places with Peter. The storm is raging and he’s afraid. The boat’s secure and comfortable—wouldn’t you want to stay there? But you can’t. God designed you to do more than simply avoid failure; He’s calling you to step out in faith and accomplish things. You say, “What’s my boat?” It’s anything you put your faith in when life gets stormy, like a job or a relationship. Your boat is anything that stops you from getting out of your comfort zone. Leaving it is the scariest, but most rewarding step you’ll ever take!

When Peter was certain it was Jesus who was calling him, he left the security of the boat and entrusted himself to the power of God. So far, so good. “But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted” (Mt 14:30). So:

You must focus on the Lord, not the storm.

We all know what it’s like to “see the waves.” You begin a new venture—a job, a relationship, an area of spiritual growth—full of hope. Then you encounter storms and setbacks. Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials” (Jn 16:33 NLT). Expect it; it’s part of the journey of faith!

You must feel the fear and do it regardless.

Growth requires taking on new challenges. Each time you do you’ll experience fear, because growth and fear go together. But each time you risk leaving the boat it means you’re more likely to do it again. And each time you step out on the water without drowning, you realize that fear no longer has power over you. On the other hand, each time you resist God’s voice and choose to stay in the boat His voice becomes a little quieter until eventually you don’t hear it at all. Wouldn’t it be worth any risk to avoid that? Furthermore, staying in the boat doesn’t guarantee your safety; it only guarantees you’ll eventually die from something else. The answer to fear is to get out of the boat a little more each day, until fear loses its hold on you.

Peter discovered what we all discover in our walk with God: just because you sink doesn’t mean you’re sunk. Here are two reasons why:

Failing doesn’t make you a failure, quitting does.

Failure is just a part of learning. Sir Edmund Hilary made several attempts to scale Mount Everest before succeeding. After one such attempt he supposedly stood at the base of the mountain, shook his fist in defiance and shouted, “I’ll defeat you yet. You’re as big as you’re going to get, but I’m still growing!” He learned something from every unsuccessful attempt until one day he succeeded. Winston Churchill said, “I’ve never failed at anything in my life. I was simply given another opportunity to get it right.” That’s the winning spirit!

The real failures were the ones who stayed in the boat.

They failed quietly and privately; their failure went unnoticed and uncriticized. Although Peter crashed and burned publicly, he experienced the euphoria of walking on the water. He alone knew how it felt to be empowered by God to do what he could never have done by himself. Once you’ve walked on water you are never the same. Peter would take this moment to his grave! He also experienced the joy of being lifted by Jesus in a moment of despair. Peter knew, in a way the others couldn’t, that if he sank Jesus would be there to save him. He shared a moment, a connection, a trust the others didn’t. How could they, when they never left the boat! Failure doesn’t come from sinking—it comes from letting your fears stop you.

There are many good reasons for stepping out of the boat and trying something new, or something you may have failed at before. It’s the only way to develop faith, it’s the alternative to being average, and it’s how you discover your calling. But there’s an even more important reason. “He walked on the water…to Jesus.” Jesus isn’t in the boat, He’s on the water! And you only develop deep-water faith when you’re willing to leave security and predictability and step out with Him. Perhaps you have worked for years creating a manageable and orderly life, maintaining the illusion of control. Now God is shaking everything up by asking you to step out in faith, allowing you to face waves that are over your head. He does this for a reason: to increase your dependence on Him. Maybe there was a time in your past when you risked sharing your faith, even though it meant facing rejection; or giving, even though it involved personal sacrifice; or serving, even though you felt totally inadequate. Sometimes you sank, sometimes you walked, but you lived on the edge by faith. Now look at you—in your comfortable boat, you don’t even get seasick! In fact, now you don’t even feel the storm when it comes.

Any time you leave the security of the boat two things will happen: (1) When you fail, and you will, you won’t be alone. Jesus will be no more than an arm’s length from you. (2) Every now and then when you do walk on water, it’ll strengthen you and enable you to do greater things.

Surfs up!

heaven?

{ February 22, 2011 @ 1:48 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, Religion, Uncategorized }
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When ten-year-old Mary’s mother died, she became “mother of the house,” caring for her father who worked the night shift at a local mine. One evening as she was packing his lunch she slipped a Gospel booklet inside, hoping he’d find comfort after the loss of his wife. Suddenly at 1:00 a.m. an emergency whistle sounded, telling the town’s people miners had been caught in a collapsed mine. Emergency workers worked through the night and finally broke through to a small cavern where they found the miners. Sadly, it was too late. All eight men had suffocated, including Mary’s father. The rescuers were devastated. As they surveyed the scene they noticed that the men had died seated in a circle. Looking closer, they discovered that Mary’s father was sitting with a small booklet in his lap, open to the last page where the plan of salvation was explained. On that page he had written a special message to her: “My dear Mary, by the time you find this I’ll be with your mother. I read your little book several times to the others while we waited to be rescued. Our hope is fading for this life—but not for the next. We did as the book told us and prayed. I love you, and one day we’ll all be together in heaven.” Are you going to heaven? Do you know for sure? You can. “These things have I written…that you may know that you have eternal life. 1Jn 5:13

“Life sentence”

{ February 1, 2011 @ 11:30 am } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, Leadership, life, Religion }
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“Good people live right.”           Pr 20:7 CEV
Eventually your life will be summarized in a single sentence. What will your “life sentence” be?

If you live intentionally, people at your funeral won’t be left to wonder. Will you get it all exactly right? No. But, “Good people live right, and God blesses the children who follow their example.” Your life is your greatest legacy, and you’ve only got one, so make it count. Leave a legacy of excellence. In his book Leadership Gold, John Maxwell has a chapter entitled, “Don’t send your ducks to eagle school.” In it he writes, “Ducks are not supposed to be eagles—nor do they want to be. Who they are is who they should be. Ducks have their area of expertise, that’s where they excel.”

Leave a legacy of encouragement. It’s said, “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others cause happiness whenever they leave.” Are you the kind of person someone will call ten or twenty years from now and say, “Thanks, I couldn’t have made it without you?”

Leave a legacy of purpose. We’re most energized when we’re investing our strengths and talents into a God-given purpose. So make your life about something bigger than yourself. You won’t live forever, but you can live on through the impact you make now.

Leave a legacy of love. Jon Gordon says, “My Mom…passed away a few years ago…I don’t recall her faults and mistakes or the disagreements we had. After all, who’s perfect? What I remember…was her love. She gave me a legacy of love that’ll embrace generations to come.”

So, the truth of the matter is that we will leave something, you decide what it will be. I recently heard this statement; On judgement day when we all face our maker, one of two things will be said. Either we will say “Lord your will be done..” or God will say “Your will be done!” The choice is ours. Leaving a legacy that counts is also a choice.

What legacy are you intending to leave? What will your life sentence be?

 

Surrender

{ December 22, 2010 @ 1:38 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, music, Religion }
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“Because you say so, I will.”     Lk 5:5

 

 

“Surrendering to God” is still one of the most difficult lessons I am having to learn, but the more I do, the less I carry the weight of the whole world upon my shoulders. Until we accept and cooperate with the law of gravity, we can’t fly. Until we accept and cooperate with the law of economics, we can’t succeed in business. Getting the idea? Surrendering to God is not weakness, it’s wisdom. Only a fool resists God, because it’s a fight you can’t win. It’s in surrendering to Him that you are empowered to succeed in what He’s called you to do. Surrender is demonstrated by obedience. It’s saying, “Yes, Lord” to whatever He asks. To say, “No, Lord” is a contradiction. How can we call Jesus “Lord,” and refuse to obey Him? (Lk 6:46). Peter demonstrated true surrender when Jesus told him to try again. “‘Master, we have worked all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish” (Lk 5:5-6). Surrendered people obey God even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Abraham followed God without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited on God’s timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God’s plan without knowing why circumstances happened as they did. Each was fully surrendered to God, and they came out on top.

 

“How will I know I’m fully surrendered?” you ask (A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION).

When you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your own agenda or control the situation. You don’t have to be in charge, you simply let go and let God have His way.

When you start to do things God’s way instead of your own, you experience three great benefits:

First, you have peace. “Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you” (Job 22:21).

Second, you have freedom. “Offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits” (Ro 6:17).

Third, you have power. “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7).

Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems are defeated by Christ the moment you surrender. As Joshua approached the walls of Jericho he encountered God, fell down and worshipped, surrendered his plans and said, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” (Jos 5:14). Joshua’s surrender led to a spectacular victory. Here’s a paradox: victory comes through surrender! Surrender doesn’t weaken you, it strengthens you. Surrendered to God, you don’t have to fear surrendering to anything else.

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, “The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender.” Eventually everybody surrenders to something. If not to God, you’ll surrender to the opinions and expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, to your own lusts or ego. You’re free to choose whatever you surrender to, but you’re not free from the consequences of that choice.

E. Stanley Jones said, “If you don’t surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos.” The supreme example is Jesus. The night before His crucifixion He surrendered to God’s plan, saying, “I want your will, not mine.” And He is your example!

One of the great leaders of the twentieth century was Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade. Through the Four Spiritual Laws tract and the Jesus film (seen by over four billion), more than 150 million people were won to Christ. When asked why God had used him so effectively, Bill replied, “When I was a young man I made a contract with God. I literally wrote it out and signed my name at the bottom. It said, ‘From this day forward I am a slave of Jesus Christ.’” Picture yourself chained like a slave to an oar, rowing to the drumbeat of a galley master till the day you die—that’s surrender!

Surrender isn’t just the best way to live—it’s the only way! All other approaches lead to frustration. The Bible calls surrender “your reasonable service” (Ro 12:1). Your wisest moments will always be those when you say yes to God. Sometimes it takes years, but eventually you discover that the greatest hindrance to God’s blessing in your life—is you. You cannot fulfill His purposes while you’re focusing only on your own plans and self-interest. If God is going to do His deepest work in you, it will begin with surrender. So give it all to God: your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, your dreams, your weaknesses, your habits, your hurts and hang-ups. Put Jesus in the driver’s seat, and take your hands off the wheel. Don’t be afraid; nothing that is under His control can ever be out of control. Surrendered to Christ, you can handle anything life throws at you.

 

walk by faith!

{ December 7, 2010 @ 12:34 pm } · { belief, Christianity, church, faith, family, Leadership, life, Religion }
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“I will instruct you…in the way you should go.” Ps 32:8 NIV
Paul writes: “I go…not knowing the things that will happen to me…except that the Holy Spirit testifies…saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me” (Ac 20:22-24). It’s only human to want to know where you’re going and what you’re getting into. But God informs us on a “need to know” basis. Like Abraham, when you follow Him, you do it “not knowing” where the Lord leads, but believing what He promised, confident that no matter how He does it or how long it takes, He will keep His word to you (See Heb 11:8). Being in God’s will doesn’t exempt you from problems. God doesn’t promise a carpet on the race track or a bed of roses on the battlefield. But you can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Php 1:6 NIV). Jon Walker says, “God knows every step of the journey…the blessings and dangers…where you’ve been…where you’re going, and…the best path to take…He never intended you to figure out the steps without Him. How you get on mission and succeed…are God’s responsibilities. Your responsibility is to seek His guidance and obey His instructions. He said, ‘I will instruct you…in the way you should go…and watch over you’ (Ps 32:8 NIV). Your job is to trust Him with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. His job is to set your path straight (See Pr 3:5-6). There’s no requirement for you to figure it all out.”

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