Tag: surrender

In Him: We Are Forgiven

It’s a fact: Satan tries to remind us of our past mistakes, our past sins and intimidating us that they are not forgiven. We then if we believe those lies begin to step back, become weak or even retreat from God in shame.

But we have this promise 👇🏼

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightesouness”

We have a responsibility to confess, bring them into the light and repent from them.

“…he is faithful and just.”

It’s not because we were faithful to come to him that sets us free, it’s because when we do come to him, he is faithful and just.

It’s all because of what happened at Calvary that sin has no power over the believer.

Today remind yourself that because he has risen we no longer have to be that person. That sin no longer has a hold on you. You stand today forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness — holy in his sight!

Who Will You Choose?

IN THIS CHAPTER, BEFORE JOSHUA’S PASSING, HE CALLS FOR ALL THE ELDERS, JUDGES, & LEADERS. HE BEGINS TO REMIND THEM OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. HE REMINDS THEM OF EGYPT,  PAST BATTLES THAT GOD GAVE THEM VICTORY OVER. THE MANNA THAT WAS GIVEN EVERYDAY IN THE WILDERNESS. 

14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” — Joshua 24:14-15

We have choices everyday. What to wear, what to eat that day. But everyday we make a conscience decision to choose Him in everything.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

ii. Joshua could make this statement because he had lived a life that continuously chose to serve the LORD.

· Joshua chose to fight against the Amalekites – choosing when it might cost everything.

· Joshua chose to reject the golden calf – choosing when the flesh might be satisfied.

· Joshua chose to serve the Lord by serving Moses – choosing a humble place.

· Joshua chose to believe God’s promise about the Promised Land – choosing against the majority.

· Joshua chose to recognize the leadership of the Captain of the LORD’s army – choosing surrender to God.

· Joshua chose to take leadership of Israel and lead them into the land – choosing faith instead of unbelief.

iii. God gives us choice. God is a choosing God; we are made in His image. He wants us to also choose.

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So who will you choose?

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. — Matthew 6:24

SURRENDER ALL

Surrendering is not on our weekly to do list. I know it isn’t on mine. with the hustle and bustle of life, it’s so easy to strive for success than to surrender. But for most we define success as a fulfilling and prosperous career, satisfying relationship, and a happy and productive life.

God though, defines success a lot differently then we do. He isn’t concerned with the amount of money you make, the shoes you wear, the position you hold in a company or a church. He doesn’t measure you on the accomplishments or charitable work that you’ve done.

God cares about who is in the driver’s seat of your life — and that is determined by your level of surrender.

The question I have to ask ourselves is this. We repent to be forgiven but are we choosing to surrender in order to be changed?
  1. There is always a call to surrender

Everyday of our lives, we are called to surrender our will for His. We are called to lay down our lives for His name sake. Luke 14:27 “And whosoever cannot bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

The beauty of surrender is that in everyday life, we have the choice to lay down our burdens, our ways of doing things and exchanging them for His rest.

When Jesus called the disciples, it meant no going back to the way of life they once knew.

In the book of 1 Kings 19:19-21 after Elisha is called of God to follow Elijah, Elisha went back, not to stay, not to think about it or to throw a “going away party” but he did something very crucial. He destroyed his livelihood, the very means of secure necessities of life. Elisha seen more value in the pursuit of God than his own.

“To step forward in your destiny you have to step away from your security.”

Just like Elisha, we have the choice to follow God or our own agenda.

” Choose this day in whom you will serve.”

#Surrender

He wants all of us

 

For a long time I thought giving God most of me was good enough. I thought since I have a great prayer life, I’m involved in a ministry every week at my church I thought what more could I give. But It felt spiritually like I kept hitting a wall. I was restricted in a way that I could not push through.

From your attitude to your finances, He wants to be involved in every detail of our lives. It’s not just the parts we allow Him, He wants control of it all. That’s the hardest part sometimes is the letting go part. But I’ve found out over the years that total surrenderance is key to have a fulfilling life in God. Just like the disciples we too must leave everything behind us. Do I mean go off and live in the wilderness, to quit your job, tell your wife and kids, “see ya”. No, I mean spiritually. When we are saved. Jesus changes our hearts, changes what our desires and passions are to become more of what He wants to do through us. But that only comes through surrendering.

We are called to be set apart. Not to act like the World, but to have a new mindset. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone.” Have you gave up everything? Have you decreased so He can increase? If not, I pray that you will make that choice today. God doesn’t want partial obedience He wants obedience. Don’t give God pieces of your heart, give Him all!

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Partial Obedience = Diobedience

He wants all of us.

 

For a long time I thought giving God most of me was good enough. I thought since I have a great prayer life, I’m involved in a ministry every week at my church, I have a blog site, I thought I was doing “okay”. It felt spiritually like I kept hitting a wall but there was always that “thing” that kept me from maturing in my faith. I couldn’t figure out what to give up. Every time that I would go in prayer, I would ask the Lord, show me what I need to give up. 

I’ve heard the song “Have it All”, I’ve read the scriptures about giving God your all. The rich young ruler, The surrendering aspect of it was the part I was trying to figure out myself. From your attitude to your finances, He wants to be involved in every detail. It’s not just the parts we allow Him, He wants control of it all. 

James 4:7 “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

This particular verse I still speak out whenever the enemy tempts me. But it’s not only used for being tempted. “Submit to God” should tell you that whether the enemy is shooting fiery darts or not, we should always “submit to God”

The pride of life springs up whenever you think about handing anything over to someone else. When I was young, just starting out with having my first job. My dad would help me with my finances. Why? I needed help and he was awesome at taking care of his own. I’ve never seen anyone like him that can make a dollar stretch and so disciplined with his own finances. It was hard to hand him over the money that I worked hard for. I had to form a trust, and since then I have learned the value of trust and surrendering.

 

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

 

How much do you trust God? Would you go as far as sacrificing your son? Or daughter? Look at Genesis 22 when God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son. As soon as Abraham raises the knife, an angel of the lord shouted “Do not lay a hand on the boy, now I know that you fear the Lord, because you have withheld from me your son, your only son.”

God tests us, He sees how much we are willing to give up. Have you gave up everything? Have you decreased so He can increase? If not, I pray that you will make that choice today. God doesn’t want partial obedience. Its all or nothing. Don’t give God parts of you, for He has not given us parts of Him.

The Right Kind of Sacrifice

1st key in allowing God to have full potential for Him to Work in your life is to surrender.

>Surrender

Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Against”

– In a war there is an opposing force that is trying to win as much as you are.

Every soldier in war was to carry a white handkerchief or a white material in case they were ever in a situation that they could not get out of.

– When was the last time you were in a situation that you couldn’t get out of? Did you win by yourself?

– We are the only soldiers who win by losing, by giving up, by raising our hands and saying “I can’t do this”

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Genesis 4: 3-7

“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

– “It’s not what we surrender but it”s how we bring it to Him.”

We are beginning to see the effects of sin in the earliest days of the human race. God is warning Cain that if he does not surrender the right kind of offering there will be a desire that will be waiting for him.

> Abel chose the right sacrifice, a living, breathing animal to God.

As we all know at this time of human life, a living sacrifice was not yet demanded. But as we look closer into what Abel and Cain brought to God, there begins to be more about it than what meets the eye. For instance, Abel brought to the Lord an animal. Think of the times if you have ever had a pet or had lived on a farm or better yet if you have had neither of these experiences in your life of raising an animal or having a pet. Just go back to that time and try to put yourself in Abel’s shoes. Where your animals were precious; it wasn’t like today’s society of where you could go to a grocery store and purchase what you want.

{He took what he didn’t want to kill.}

Hebrews 11:4

“By faith Abel offered up a more excellent sacrifice than Cain”

It’s not easy surrendering what we think is precious or the pet sin that God tries to shake out of our life, it’s only by human instinct to keep what we don’t need. Sometimes we give up and let God have it, and most times we don’t. God instructs us that “we must rule over it.” But how?

– Cain shortly finds out that the sacrifice was not what was brought, but how it was brought.

> Cain chose the easy route, produce. It’s clear that this was an “easy” sacrifice to God but as we read on, Cain soon finds out…

“God was looking on the heart the attitude of the worshiper-rather than at the specifics of his offering. Even in worship man is capable of deviant behavior and attitudes.” – “Preacher’s Commentary”

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– We have a responsibility to learn to depend on Him. As we grow older we are to mature in Christ.

So…

1] where does your help come from?

2 ] Is your sacrifice given to God, is it by faith?

2 ] Who is it that is strengthening you?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

It is when we rely on self for the strength when we fall out-of-place and that the potential is clouded with obstacles.

Mark 12:41-44

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

God is wanting us to depend on Him more and more, as these year’s pass there will be tribulations on this Earth. The sooner we learn to give what needs to be given the more we will understand the promise of God.

 

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