Surrender and Submit

 
Isaiah 53:6a--All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way...

     We're all sinners. It is the one uniting factor between every living being; whether white or black, American or Asian, we have all gone astray and turned to our own way. But some have not stayed there. Some have chosen a different, a narrower path. They have chosen a path of true peace and joy; one where trials arise, but are never fought alone. A path where true, genuine fellowship is sought after and found; where victory over fleshly desires is not merely a dream, but a reality. What path have these few taken…one of surrender and submission.

     Surrender. Matthew 16:24 says, "...if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself..." The first step to peace comes through surrendering your all to the Lord, putting down your desires and taking up His. Repentance from your wandering and acknowledgement of your need for direction solicits forgiveness and guidance from above. Introduction to the narrow path comes through the gate of understanding that one truly gains life by choosing to lose it. Will you surrender your all to God today?

     Submit. James 4:7 says, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." After you have surrendered your will, you must seek to obey all that He directs you to do. While difficult at times, mercy and grace are provided for those who seek it.(Hebrews 4:16) By listening to the voice of the Lord as He directs you through prayer and reading one is able to live a life where sin does not have dominion over them. What a blessed life of joy one can live, thanking the Lord for the victory He provided over anger, drunkenness, lust, and envy. Will you submit to His direction today?

     "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God."(II Cor. 5:20) As an ambassador for Christ, I strongly desire all to come to repentance, so that times of refreshing can come.(Acts 3:19) I urge you, please surrender your life to the Lord and submit to His will today. Do not neglect His offer of giving us life and peace, knowing that you are not guaranteed another day. May God draw your heart to His.

 

Striving for acceptance

     The desire to be accepted is built into the nature of each one of us.  Much time is spent, throughout the course of one's life, attempting to fit in and be accepted by one's peers.  Many different physical methods are used to gain such attraction.  Males may go out for sports, lift weights, use foul language or smoke, while females may fix up their hair, wear stylish clothing(often times accentuating certain body features), use lots of make-up or lower their values just to find a niche that they can fit into.  As a believer, we must exit that system, not ceasing to strive for acceptance, but attempting to find it in another source...God.  Is God pleased with you?  Your dress, your attitude, your behavior?  Does He find you acceptable?  Today, I will share with you two things that must be present in your life for it to be acceptable before God.

     Die to self.  Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."  For our lives to be acceptable to God we must surrender them.  All our hopes and desires must be turned over to our Creator, allowing His perfect plan to supersede our own.  It is when we choose to lay down our lives and become wholly devoted to Him, that He can use us in mighty ways.

     Be transformed, not conformed.  Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  As we die to ourselves, we will notice more and more of our life that had been conformed to this world.  To be acceptable, God asks that we begin to live a transformed(drastically changed) life by having our minds renewed.  This renewal(change) happens through the reading and studying God's Word.  It is through His Word that we begin to understand what He desires us to do and how to think.

     Do you continually die to yourself?  Are you studying God's Word and allowing it to renew your mind?  If so, you will find that your life will be acceptable to God.  If not, your life may be acceptable to man, but God is not well pleased.

Commissioned by Christ

John 1:6--There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

     Every believer, no matter what church they attend or what fellowship they are a part of, have been called, charged and commissioned by Christ.  While many believers lack the knowledge of their duties, others choose to neglect them, seeming to think those duties are unnecessary and done only by the radical.  Today, I would like to encourage all true believers to consider a few areas that Christ has called us to walk in.  They are not suggestions, nor helpful tips, but commissions from God's Word.

     Reconciliation.  II Corinthians 5:18-19 says, "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation."  Just as Christ has reconciled us, forgiving us of our wrongful deeds; we also should be individuals that freely deal out mercy to others.  Forgiveness, while not always easy, is essential to the Christians' life.  Without it, death of spiritual fruit will quickly be seen.

     Light bearers.  Matthew 5:14-15 says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."  It is amazing to me how many closet "Christians" we have today.  Those afraid, or unwilling to share God's Word with others.  The only way one might think they were believers is because their vehicle sits outside a church building on Sunday.  Shouldn't one who claims to be a Christians frequently talk about Christ?  Shouldn't His name come up in conversation(and I don't mean when your cursing)?  We need more believers to take off the basket and begin to let their light shine.

     Mistreatment.  I Peter 2:21 says, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps" and I Peter 3:9 says, "not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing."  Just as Jesus suffered at the hands of men and did not return with anger, we are called to follow His steps.  Very often this is difficult and seems unbearable, but remember Jesus and be longsuffering.  Do not lose heart when men speak evil of you or to you, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you; but, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.  Matt. 5:12

     Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might(Eph. 6:10), allowing His power to enable you to be a minister of reconciliation, a light bearer for truth and a disciple who can withstand mistreatment and respond with a blessing.