Full Surrender Series

Introduction- A Lifetime of Surrender"There will likely be a time in our Christian journeys when, like Jacob, we will wrestle with God all night long... But there must eventually come a dawn when we say, "OK, God, You win... Not My will but Thine be done." ~Gary Thomas "Seeking The Face of God" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may be thinking, I surrendered my life to Christ years ago; tell me something new. Here's what's new for many. That initial surrender to Christ (which we often refer to as the point of salvation) was not the end of the story. In fact, it was really the starting place. That point of surrender simply set the stage for a lifetime of surrender. Having surrendered our lives to Christ as Savior and Lord, we must now learn what it means to live out a surrendered life - to continually say "no" to self and "yes" to God. Many Christians live perpetually discouraged, defeated lives because, having once surrendered initial control to Christ, they have reverted to trying to manage their own lives. It may be that even at this moment you are living in a chapter called "Unsurrendered". Oh, that may not describe your whole way of life- you can probably point to specific areas where you are obeying God. But could it be that there are some issues on which you are reserving the right to control your own life? In some cases, believers know what it means to live under God's control, but they are afraid of what might happen if they surrender some particular area. "If I surrender my children/husband to the Lord, what will happen to them? (feeling of needing "control") If I surrender my finances, will my needs be met? If I surrender my body, what will others think of me?" If you are wrestling with fears about the will of God, I want to encourage you with the promises of God and to help you understand that He is worthy of ALL your trust. Some are justifying and rationalizing certain habits, values, attitudes, or behaviors that are contrary to the Word of God. "What about the stuff I watch on movies and TV? I don't think it's really that bad. OK, I admit I have a chronic struggle with over eating and with controlling my temper. But I'm just human. None of us is going to be perfect until we get to heaven." Finally, some professing believers are living in willful rebellion against God's control in specific areas of their lives- "I know what God wants me to do, but I'm just not going to do it." (Usually out of fear of giving up control). Maybe you think this way of living is normal- after all, compared to many other professing believers, you may seem like a spiritual giant. However, regardless of what seems to be typical, the fully surrendered life is intended to be- and can be- the norm for every one of God's children. Do you fear what a lifestyle of full surrender might cost you? Then consider the cost of holding out on God. The truth is that resistance is far more costly than surrender. For those who are followers of Christ, any resistance to the will of God will keep us from enjoying an abundant life and will create barriers in our fellowship with God. I pray that your heart will be captured with a compelling vision of the one who claims the right to run the universe. May you experience an irresistable sense of the joys and blessings that can be yours through relinquishing control to this God who loves you and who holds your very life in His hand.To be continued... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy L. DeMoss

The Battle For Control "Surrender is not the surrender of the external life, but of the will; when that is done, all is done. There are very few crises in life; the great crisis is the surrender of the will." ~Oswald Chambers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The "real war" begins in the opening pages of the Bible and continues, gaining in intensity, almost to the final page. It is, in essence, a battle for control. All creation, including- initially- the first man and woman, lived in glad, wholehearted surrender to the sovereign control and will of the Creator. This surrender did not strip the creation of dignity or freedom; to the contrary, surrender was- and still is- the source and means of true freedom and fullness. The first blip on the screen came when the enemy, already a rebel himself- approached the happy couple and challenged God's created order. Now the suggestion was made that they could be in charge of their own lives, that they didn't have to take direction fom anyone else. So the man and the woman tried to wrest control from the hands of their soveriegn Creator. They resisted the will of God and insisted on sharing His throne. The battle had begun. God is not only sovereign but compassionate. He knew that if we tried to run our own lives, we would reap misery and conflict. That our drive to be in control would render us hopelessly enslaved and ultimately destroyed. The only hope for man was surrender. God could have forced His rebellious creatures into submission- however, because He desires a loving, personal relationship with us, He opted first to woo and win our hearts. He wants our willing, volitional surrender. As long as we refuse to surrender our will to the will of God, we are never truly free. Rather, we find ourselves dominated by ungodly appetites and forces. When we throw off the restraints of our wise, loving God, we become slaves to terrible taskmasters that are intent on our destruction. You don't want to surrender to God's control? You won't bow to His will in relation to your marriage, your morals, your attitudes, your tongue, your eating habits, your spending habits, or the way you spend your time? Then count on it - the very points on which you refuse to surrender will become "enemies" that rule over you - lust, greed, possessions, food, sloth, immorality, anger, etc... "Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you."--Deut. 28:47 What is the turf in which you are in a battle for control? Perhaps it is in relation to your marriage- you may be bent on changing your mate, refusing to accept him/her as God's chioce for your life. Your battle for control may be another relationship- perhaps with a parent, a child, an employer, or a friend. Or you may be resisting God's right to control your body- your eating, sleeping, exercise, or moral habits- or your tongue, your time, your future plans, or your finances. When we play "king"- when we insist on establishing our own kingdom and asserting our right to rule- we set ourselves at war with the God of the universe- a battle that we cannot possibly win. However, when we bow to His Kingship and it's supremecy, when we surrender to His wise and loving control - then we can live at peace with the King. And only then will we be free. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God controls" by Nancy DeMoss

~The Terms of Christian Surrender~ "I have been before God, and have given myself, all that I am and have, to God; so that I am not, in any respect, my own... I have given myself clear away, and have not retained any thing as my own." Jonathan Edwards ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sadly, for the past 150 years or more, evangelicalism has developed a theology that offers assurance of salvation to almost anyone who prays a prayer or "makes a decision for Christ", even though he may still be clinging to his rights, holding on to his sin, and bent on running his own life. The scripture does not recognize such a profession as genuine. Jesus warned, "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only He who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt.7:21) The person who has never acknowledged Christ's right to rule over His life has no basis for assurance of salvation. He may claim to be a Christian; he may have walked an aisle or prayed the sinners prayer; he may know how to speak "Christianese"; he may be heavily involved in Christian activities; but if he thinks he can have a relationship with God by retaining control over his life and somehow fit Jesus in with everything else, he is deceived and is still at war with God. The terms of our surrender to the Lord Jesus are non-negotiable and unconditional. What does He ask us to surrender? In a word, EVERYTHING. Christian surrender means that we come to Him and His terms, as the General of our soul, and say simply, "I surrender all." We lay down our arms, we hand over everything we have, everything we are, everything we hope to be. One of the challenges of complete surrender to Christ is that we don't know what lies ahead. Some of us might be more inclined to surrender if God would hand us a contract with all the details filled in. We'd like to know: "What will this cost me? Where will God expect me to go? What will He ask me to do?" We want to see all of the fine print, think it over, and then sign on the dotted line. But that's not God's way. God says "Here's a blank piece of paper. I want you to sign your name on the bottom line, hand it back and let Me fill in the details. Why? Because I am God; because I have bought you; because I am trustworthy; because you know how much I love you; because you live for my glory and not your own independant, self-promoting pleasure." Betty Scott grew up in China, where her parents were missionaries. During her years at college and Bible institute, she penned a prayer that has become the petition of many other believers who long to live a life of unconditional surrender: -Lord, I give up my own plans and purposes, all my own desires, hopes and ambitions, and I accept Thy will for my life. I give up myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever. I hand over to Thy keeping all of my friendships; all the people whom I love are to take second place in my heart. Fill me now and seal me with Thy Spirit. Work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, for me to live is Christ. Amen.- Betty completed her schooling, returned to China as a missionary, married another missionary worker, and in December of 1934, just weeks after the birth of their baby girl, Betty and her husband were taken hostage by hostile Communist soldiers. Within a few days they were beheaded. Betty was twenty-eight years old. When she wrote, "Work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost," she had no way of knowing what full surrender would cost her. Although some might consider the cost extremely high, I am confident that Betty, having laid down her life for Christ, would not think the price too high. To be continued... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

~Surrender-Bondslaves Forever~ Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me; lay any burden on me, only sustain me; and sever every tie, but the tie that binds me to Thy service and Thy heart. David Livingstone Romanian pastor and Christian leader Josef Tson was exiled from his country in 1981, after exeriencing persecution at the hands of the Communist regime. He immigrated to the United States, where he ministered for nearly 10 years, until he was able to return to his homeland, where he continues serving today. Though his academic and professional credentials are impressive, when asked how he would like to be introduced when speaking to gatherings, he says simply, "I wish to be introduced as 'a slave of Jesus Christ'". During his years in exile, Josef was shocked by some of the traits of evangelical Christianity in the U.S. As he studied the development of American evangelicalism, he discovered two specific things. The first of those changes took place at the beginning of the 20th century, when the 19th century emphasis on "pursuing holiness" shifted to a desire for "uplifting, ecstatic experiences." A second change took place in the 1950's and 60's- a shift from the call to full surrender, to the call to "committment". He explains the difference this way: Christian surrender means that a person lifts his or her hands and says to God, "Here I am; I surrender; You take over; I belong to You; You dispose of me!" But this America, the country of the independant people! This is the place of "Nobody should command me!...I belong only to myself!" A call to surrender, and even more, to full surrender, simply doesn't go well with such people. Therefore, the preachers, who wanted "results", and wanted them in big numbers, felt (and gave in to) the temptation to soften the demand, to reduce the cost, to make the message more "palatable." You see, "committment" means "I engage myself to do something for you, "or, even lighter, "I promise to do something for you," but I remain myself and I may keep my promise or not. We can speak of weaker or stronger committment, but be it as strong as possible, it is still my independant self that engages itself in a tentative promise. He also noticed a subtle change, almost unobserved, through the new versions of the Bible. Translators did not like the term "bondslave" to be applied to people. Who wants to be somebody's slave? They replaced it with "servant". In the Greek, "slave" is doulos; "servant" is diakonos. In the greek Bible one never "serves" God; one only "slaves " to God. Jesus makes it clear in Luke 17 that however much you do for God, at the end of the day you say: "I am an unworthy slave; I only did what is the duty of the slave to do!" But all that is gone now, by the replacement of the word "slave" with the word "servant'". Continued tomorrow with "A Hole in the Ear"... Adapted from "Surrender- A Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

~Surrender-A Hole In The Ear~ Lord, engage my heart today with a passion that will not pass away. I pledge from this day to the grave- to be Thine own, unquestioning slave. Leonard Ravenhill In the old Testament, many poverty-stricken Jews were forced to sell themselves into service to their fellow Jews. The law of God required that all servants be treated with justice and kindness, and that they be freed at the end of six years. In Exodus 21:1-6, we are given this description of an unusual option: The servant was free to leave, however a servant might develop a strong, loving relationship with his master and with the wife and children during his years of service. He was grateful for the way he was treated and provided for, so much so-that he wanted to continue serving in his master's household. Knowing his master as he did, the bondslave trusted that all he needed would be provided for, that he would never want for food, shelter, clothing, or any other basic needs. He was under no obligation to stay, but he wanted to stay- he loved his master and made a voluntary choice to become his bondslave. In doing so, he was not just signing up for another 6 years- he was making a lifetime committment. He was surrendering himself and giving up all his rights- permanently. This was not about being hired help. This was the act of a man who voluntarily said to someone he had come to know and trust, 'I am yours- I belong to you, and I want to spend the rest of my life fulfilling your wishes." The transaction was made in a public ceremony where the surrender was recognized in a visible- and painful- way. A sharp instrument was used to pierce a hole in the servants ear, signifying obedience to the voice of his master. The decision was irreversible. ~~~~~ Prophetically speaking of Christ's death, the psalmist wrote, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced...I desire to do your will, O my God". (Psalm 40:6,8) When Christ came to earth, in His desire to do the will of God and His willingness to suffer and bear the marks of that submission, He became a bondslave. This was the symbolic fulfilment of what was spoken of in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Peter, Paul, James and Jude all followed in the steps of that Great Bondslave- identifying themselves as slaves of Jesus Christ. What were they saying? They were men with a hole in the ear. I have come to believe that there is no higher calling than to be marked as His slave - to choose to give my life in the sevice of the Master I have known to grow and love and trust. This is not to say that living as a bondslave is always easy. But what motivates and drives my choices is the same perspective that motivated that bondservant in Exodus 21: I LOVE MY MASTER! Are His requirements sometimes hard? Absolutely. Are they sometimes different from what I would have chosen for myself? No question. Do I sometimes wish to be free from the constraints? Definitely. Yet in the deepest part of my heart, I truly want nothing more than to be His lifelong, loyal bondslave. Nothing He has ever required of me could begin to repay the debt I owe Him. I can hardly begin to calculate the incredible gifts and joys He has lavished upon me since I first became His willing slave. What a privilege it is: * To know and love Him, and to be known and loved by Him * To have his companionship at all hours of the day and night * To live under His watchful, protective care * To bring Him pleasure * To be entrusted with the infinite riches of His glorious Gospel and to be called to make it known to others * To have an eternal home awaiting me * To have assisted in the birth and nurture of countless spiritual children The treasures are countless! To be continued tomorrow with "The Whole Of Our Lives"... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss In Him, Chanin

~Surrender-The Whole Of Our Lives~ "We must train men and women who will devote to the revolution, not merely their spare evenings, but the whole of their lives." Lenin Years ago, I came across a letter written by a young Communist Party member to his fiancee, explaining why he felt compelled to break off their engagement. His letter shows the type of sacrificial mind-set that was characteristic of many who devoted themselves to the Communist revolution: ~There is one thing about which I am in dead earnest and that is the socialist cause. It is my life, my business, my relgion, my hobby, my sweetheart, my wife, my mistress, my bread and my meat. I work at it in the daytime, I dream of it at night. It's hold on me grows, not lessons as time goes on. I shall be in it the rest of my life. ~When you think of me, it is necessary to think of Socialism as well because I am inseperably bound to it. Therefore, I can't carry on a friendship, a love affair, or even a conversation without relating it to this force which both drives and guides my life. I evaluate people, books, ideas and notions according to how they affect the Socialist cause and by their attitude toward it. ~I've already been in jail because of my ideas, and if necessary, I'm willing to go before a firing squad. A certain percentage of us get killed or imprisoned; even for those who escape these harsher ends, life is no bed of roses. A genuine radical lives in virtual poverty. He turns back to the party every penny he makes above what is absolutely necessary to keep him alive. Radicals don't have the time or the money for many movies or concerts or t-bone steaks or decent homes or new cars. ~We've been described as fanatics. We are. Our lives are dominated by one great over-shadowing factor- the struggle for Socialism." The example of those devoted to Communism should cause US- those who claim to know the TRUTH- to examine our own level of sacrifice and surrender: Is our relationship with Jesus the center of our very existence? Does our every act revolve around "the cause" - in our case, the cause of Christ? Imagine substituting the word "Socialism" with "Christianity" in this last letter. Does it make you think twice about how much of our lives is really lived for Him? Continued tomorrow with Surrender- A Living Sacrifice... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

~Surrender-A Living Sacrifice~ I need to be so utterly God's that He can use me or hide me, as He chooses, as an arrow in His hand or in his quiver. I will ask no questions: I relinquish all rights to Him who desires my supreme good. He knows best. Dr. Helen Roseveare One preacher illustrated ongoing, daily sacrifice this way: "We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table- "Here's my life Lord. I'm giving it all." But the reality for most of us is that He sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there; $1.00 here and $2.00 there. Listening to a neigbor kid's troubles, giving a cup of water to a thirsty old man in a nursing home. It's done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time." God may be asking you simply to sacrifice the next thirty minutes to call your widowed mother-in-law who can be so negative...or your afternoon to help a family that is packing for a move...or your evening to help your child with a science project...or your normal night's sleep to care for a sick child...or your weekend to watch your neighbor's kids...Twenty-five cents here. Fifty cents there. At times, the Lord will ask you to lay down several quarters or even several dollars at once: Instead of taking that expensive vacation or buying that car or that new piece of furniture, give the money to a mission project or to a family in need...instead of settling into that comfortable retirement life, volunteer your services to a ministry in your local community...embrace God's gift of yet one more child...adapt your standard of living to make it possible for mom to be at home with the children. Periodically, the Lord may ask for a sacrifice that makes all the previous sacrifices seem insignificant: Quit your job and move your family to some place you never dreamed of living to serve the Lord in a mission organization...release your son or daughter to serve the Lord in a country where Christian witness is restricted...faithfully love your unbelieving mate who perpetually ridicules you and your faith...accept with gratitude the gift of a physically disabled child who will require constant, lifelong care...relinquish your dream of ever being able to conceive and bear children... God's call to lay down our lives on the altar of sacrifice means that we give Him all that we are - our rights, our reputation, our desires, our future plans; everything that concerns us - first, for a lifetime, and then, day by day, moment by moment, decision by decision. Does that seem too much to ask? Truthfully, there are moments when I feel something God is asking of me is unreasonable. It may be to provide a listening ear and a caring heart for one more woman who wants to talk, when I am emotionally and physically drained; it may be to stay engaged in a relationship with a difficult, demanding person. In those moments, my emotions sometimes cry out, 'I've already given so much! I just can't give any more." That's when I need to take a trip to Calvary and look into the eyes of a bleeding God who gave everything to reconcile me to Himself. That is why the apostle Paul says, "I urge you...in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices...this is your reasonable act of worship." Romans 12:1 To be continued with "Facing our Fears"... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

Surrender- Facing our Fears If there is anything holding you back, or any sacrifice you are afraid of making, come to God and prove how gracious your God is. Never be afraid that He will command from you what He will not bestow! God comes and offers to work this absolute surrender in you. Andrew MurrayMany of our fears about giving up total control of our lives to God fall into four catagories. If I surrender everything to Him, what about: PROVISION- Will I have what I need? What if I/spouse lose my job? Can we afford to have more children? How will we pay for their education? What if God asks us to give our savings to a needy family? What if the economy goes under- what will happen to our investments? PLEASURE- Will I be happy? If I fully surrender to God, will I be miserable? Will I be able to do the things I enjoy? What if He wants me to give up my career...or sports... or my favorite hobby...or my best friend...or the foods I really like? Might God make me stay in an unhappy marriage? Will I be fulfilled if I obey Him? PROTECTION- Will I (and those I love) be safe? What if someone abuses my children? What if I have an accident and am maimed for life? What if I get cancer? Might God choose to take my mate or my children? If my child goes to the mission field, will he be safe? PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS- Will my relational needs be met? What if the Lord wants me to be single all my life? How can I live without sex or romance? What if my mate never loves me? How can I handle the rejection of my parents? What if people reject our family because of our commitment to biblical standards? When it comes to uncertainties that keep us from sacrifice, surrender, and slavery to God, we have "exceedingly great and precious promises" from God's Word- promises that powerfully counteract our deepest fears. If we trust those promises and God who has made them, we will be given courage to make each sacrifice He asks of us. If we do not trust God's promises and, therefore, do not step out in faith and surrender, we will ultimately find ourselves in BONDAGE to the very things we refuse to surrender. We will end up being controlled by that which we are seeking to keep within our control. TRUST or TYRANNY. That is the option. Trust the promises of God- which will free you to live joyfully under His loving Lordship- or live under the "tyranny" of that which you will not surrender. God wants us to experience provision, pleasure, protection, and personal relationships. But He wants us to seek them in the only place they can be found- in Him. And He doesn't want us to settle for substitutes for the real thing. To be continued with "Promises That Counter Our Fears"... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart That God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

Surrender-Promises That Counter Our FearsWould you have Him make you free,And follow at His call?Would you know the peace That comes by giving all?Would you have Him save youSo that you can never fall?Let Him have His way with thee.~C.S. NusbaumIn my last posting we talked about facing some of our fears in surrendering all to the Lord. I would like to share some of God's precious promises with you as we continue with this series from the "Surrender" book by Nancy DeMoss:God wants us to experience provision, pleasure, protection, and personal relationships. But He wants us to seek them in the only place they can be found- in Him.PROVISION: Scripture exhorts us to be content with what we have (Hebrews13:5) and not to worry about how our future needs will be met (Matt.6:25-34). The basis for contentment and freedom from anxiety is that God has promised to provide all that we need (though not necessarily all that we want) (Philip.4:19). Based on His promise, when we have a need, rather than fretting, striving, or manipulating, we ought to simply and confidently ask Him to provide. (Matt.7:7)If we are unwilling to trust God in the matter of provision, we may be tyrannized by GREED, STEALING, CHEATING, LACK OF GENEROSITY, LYING, WORRYING, COVETING, OR CENTERING OUR LIVES AROUND MONEY.PLEASURE: We cannot escape the fact that pain is unaviodable in this fallen world and that suffering is an instrument that God does use to mold and sanctify those He loves. But God also created us to experience intense pleasure and joy. The problem is that we are prone to seek pleasure in THINGS and PEOPLE that cannot ultimately satisfy the deep longing in our hearts. For our hearts can never truly be satisfied with less than HIM. The unsurrendered heart pursues after what are worthless pleasures, compared with the pure, infinite pleasures God wants to give us.(Psalm 16:11;36:7-8)Even fully surrendered saints sometimes experience sorrow, suffering, and struggles. But in the midst of our earthly journey, the joy Christ offers lifts us beyond our circumstances, and provides us with a breathtaking foretaste of heaven's eternal pleasures.However, if we are unwilling to trust God with our happiness and well- being and we insist on the pursuit of temporal pleasures, we may become dominated by OVEREATING, GETTING DRUNK OR USING DRUGS, SEXUAL PROMISCUITY, ADULTERY, PORNOGRAPHY, OBSESSION WITH TELEVISION OR FILMS OR NOVELS, BEING IRRESPONSIBLE, OR LIVING BEYOND OUR MEANS.PROTECTION: Our God is a refuge, a fortress, a shelter, and a strong deliverer to His children. Psalm 91 speaks of God's amazing protection: "...He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys midday."God doesn't promise that we will never face danger, but those who take refuge in Him are placed under His protection. He assures us that He will defend us and keep us free from fear, no matter what comes our way.However, if we do not entrust our safety to God, but demand human assurance of protection and security, we may be overwhelmed by FEARFULNESS, WORRY, MISTRUST OF PEOPLE, OBSESSION WITH WEAPONS, UNWILLINGNESS TO BE VULNERABLE, FEAR OF INTIMACY, TENDANCIES TOWARD VIOLENCE, HATRED, PREJUDICE, OR PARANOID-TYPE THOUGHTS.PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: It is true that God may lead us into solitude for a season. But his Word makes it clear that an intimate relationship with Him is the basis for the richest of human relationships (1 John 1:3,7). God Himself has promised to remain with us, to be our constant companion, wherever we go, whatever we do. "I will never leave you or forsake you," He has vowed (Hebrews 13:5).In the bible, whenever one of His children was fearful to step out alone, God's simple response was- I WILL BE WITH YOU. The implication was - I AM ENOUGH. IF YOU HAVE ME, YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED. "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." Psalm 73:25If we do not value Him as our primary relationship, we will live in fear of losing human relationships and will set ourselves up to be tyrannized by such things as POSSESSIVENESS, GIVING OR TAKING ABUSE, ADULTRY, PROMISCUITY, GOSSIP, OBSESSIVE OR CONTROLLING RELATIONSHIPS, LUST, DISSATISFACTION, UNFORGIVENESS, BITTERNESS, MANIPULATION, DISHONESTY OR JEALOUSY.Whatever your fears, whatever the unknowns or challenges in your life, God has promised to PROVIDE for you, to share His pleasure with you, to protect you, and to give you His enduring presence.The fact remains that when we fully surrender, there are no guarantees about where God will lead us or how difficult our journey will be. Yet we know the character of the ONE in whom we've placed our trust. And we know that God's promises more than offset any risks or dangers or challenges that He may allow into our lives.To be continued with "Surrender- Putting It Into Practice"...Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy Demoss

~Surrender-Making It Practical Pt.1~ Full consecration may be in one sense the act of a moment and in another, the work of a lifetime. It must be complete to be real, and yet- if real- it is always incomplete. Consecration is a point of rest and yet a perpetual progression. Frances HavergalIn 1874, at 28 yrs. old, Francis Ridley Havergal wrote a hymn that has become a beloved treasure. Written as a prayer, each line focuses on one dimension of what it means to be fully surrendered to Christ. Frances' words answer the question: What does a surrendered life look like? The following questions are intended to help personalize and apply this wonderful prayer. I would encourage you not to skim through these questions, but to set aside some time for thoughtful reflection. MY LIFE ~Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.~ *Have I ever conciously acknowledged Christ's ownership of my life? *Have I made a volitional, unconditional, lifetime surrender of my life to Christ? *Am I seeking to live out that surrender on a daily basis? *Are there any "compartments" of my life over which I am reserving the right to exercise control? MY TIME ~Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.~ *Do I live with the concious realization that all my time belongs to God, or have I merely reserved a portion of my time for the "spiritual" catagory of my life? *Am I purposeful and intentional in my use of time, seeking to invest the moments of my days in ways that will bring glory to God? *Do I seek His direction as to how I should use my "free time"? *Am I squandering time with meaningless, useless converstion or entertainment? *Do I readily respond to opportunities to serve others, even if it requires sacrificing "my" time? *Do I become resentful or impatient when others interrupt my schedule or when I am faced with unplanned demands on my time? *Have I considered any possible vocational change the Lord may want me to make, to devote more time to the advancement of His Kingdom? MY BODY~Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.~ *Am I yielding the members (parts) of my body to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13)? *Do I use the members of my body to express the kindness and love of Christ to others (e.g. using my hands for serving, for gentle touch)? *Are any of the members of my body- eyes, ears, hands, feet, mouth, etc.- being used to sin against God (e.g. lying, listening to or repeating gossip, inflicting physical harm on mate or children, listening to profanity, viewing lustful shows, sexual sin)? *Do I treat my body as if it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 6:19)? *Am I abusing my body in any way (e.g.with food, alcohol, illegal or prescription drugs)? *Am I willing to be physically spent in serving God and others? *Have I relinquished the right to have a healthy body? Would I accept and embrace physical illness if that would bring glory to God? *Am I submissive to God in relation to what (and how much) I eat and drink, and how much and when I sleep? MY TONGUE ~Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.~ *Do the words that come out of my mouth reveal that my lips and tongue are fully surrendered to God? *Do I habitually verbalize the goodness and greatness of God? *Do I regularly ask the Lord to guard my tongue before I speak? *Am I filling my mind and heart with His Word, so that what comes out of my mouth will be "messages from Him"? *Do I speak words that are critical, inkind, untrue, self-centered, rude, profane, or unnecessary? *Do I intentionally use my tongue to edify and encourage others in their walk with God? MY POSSESSIONS ~Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.~ *Do I treat any of my possesssions as if they were mine rather than God's? *Do I give generously, sacrificially, and gladly to the Lord's work and to others in need? *Do I own anything that i would not be willing to part with if God were to take it from me or ask me to give it to another? *Am I a wise steward of the material resources God has entrusted to me? *Am I content with the material resources God has given me? If God should choose not to give me one thing more than what I already have, would I be satisfied with His provision? *Do I become angry or upset if others are careless with "my" possessions? To be continued with Surrender- Making it Practical Pt.2. Adapted from "Surrender-The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss I sincerely hope that you all are enjoying this series. It is almost finished- I think there are two more to go. :) I have read through this book two times, yet as I've been typing this series out, I keep "seeing" more details that I hadn't seen before. It is indeed a progressional thing. I just pray that we are all willing for whatever God asks of us. Blessings to ya'll from Kentucky. :) ~Chanin

~Surrender-Making It Practical Pt.2~ Let me be employed by Thee or laid aside for Thee, Exalted for thee or brought low for Thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. John WesleyContinued from yesterday: What does a surrendered life look like? MY MIND Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose. *Am I "bringing every though into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5) *Am I disciplining my mind to get to know God and His word better. *Am I wasting my mind on worthless knowledge or pursuits that do not have eternal value? *Do I keep my mind on things that are just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8), rather than things that are unwholesome, negative, impure or vain? *Am I guarding the entrance of my mind from influences that cause me to stumble (e.g. certain books, magazines, movies, music, conversations)? MY WILL Take my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine. *Do I consistently seek to know and to do the will of God in the practical, daily matters of life? *Is there anything God has shown me to be His will that I have been neglecting or refusing to obey? *Is there anything I know God wants me to do that I have not done/am not doing? *Do I become resentful when things don't go my way? Do I have to have the last word in disagreements? *Am I stubborn? Demanding? Controlling? Manipulative? *Am I quick to respond in confession and repentance when the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin? MY AFFECTIONS Take my heart; it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne. *Am I moody? Temperamental? Hard to please? *Do I love Christ and His Kindom more than this earth and it's pleasures? Is there anything or anyone that I am more devoted to than Christ? *Am I easily angered or provoked? *Are my desires, appetites, and longings under Christ's control? *Am I in bondage to any earthly, fleshly, or sinful desires or appetites? *Do I trust God's right to rule over the circumstances of my life? MY RELATIONSHIPS Take my love; my Lord, I pour at Thy feet it's treasure store. *Is it my desire and intent to love God with all my heart, above all earthly relationships? Do I enjoy and seek out the friendship of God as much as I do human friendships? *Do I love God more than I do myself? Do I seek His interests, His reputation, and His pleasure above my own? *Have I surrendered all my desires, rights, and expectations regarding my family? *Am I willing to let God decide whether I am to be married and to whom? *Am I willing to love my mate in a Christ-like way, regardless of whether or not that love is returned? *Have I accepted God's decision to grant or withhold the blessing of children? *Have I released my children to the Lord? Am I trying to control their lives? Am I willing for him to call them and use them in His service- anywhere, in any way, regardless of the cost? *Is there any one that I 'love" in a way that is not pure? Am I holding on to any friendships or relationships that God wants me to relinquish? *Am I willing to sacrifice friendships, if necessary, in order to obey God and His call in my life? *Am I willing to speak the truth in love to others about their spiritual condition, even if it means risking the loss of the relationship or my reputation? MYSELF Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee. *Have I surrendered all that I am and all that I have to God? *Is there any part of myself- my plans, relationships, possessions, emotions, career, future- that I am knowingly holding back from God? *Have I settled the issue that the ultimate purpose of my life is to please God and bring Him glory? *Is the intent of my heart, by His grace, to live the rest of my life wholly for Him and for His pleasure, rather than for myself and my pleasure? To be continued with "The Surrendered Savior"... Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss

~The Surrendered Savior~ Say "No" to self; "Yes" to Jesus every time. William Borden When Jesus left heaven to come to earth, He had one purpose in mind: to do the will of His father: "I have come to down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent me."-John 6:38 Then I said, "Here I am...I have come to do Your will, O God." -Hebrews 10:7 What makes the attitude of the Lord Jesus so astounding is that He IS GOD. For him to surrender His will to that of the Father can only be explained in terms of utter selflessness, trust, humility, and deep devotion to His Father. As Christ's surrender took Him to the cross, so our surrender will always take us to the cross. Every time your flesh or mine crosses the will of God and we choose to bow our head in surrender to the spirit of God, our will is crucified and Christ is exalted as Lord! All of his His earthly life to His death on the cross, the Lord Jesus was a surrendered servant. As His followers we are to follow in His example. In Luke 14 verse 25, we find Jesus surrounded by a large crowd. Unlike what we might have been tempted to do, Jesus never played to the audience. He wasn't concerned about His ratings; He wasn't running for office or trying to attract the biggest crowd in town. He knew full well that when some heard His message, they would lose interest in His movement. But that didn't keep Him from being straightforward. Jesus looked at the crowd of would-be-disciples and said, in effect, "If you want to follow Me, you need to understand what's involved.": "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters"-- and here's the heart of the matter--"yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple" (vs.26-27). There could be no mistaking Jesus' point. He was not offering His listeners some sort of weekend Christian experience, an escape from their problems or fire insurance from hell. Everyone listening to Jesus knew that a cross meant only one thing--death. He was calling them to come and die to everything that competed with His reign and rule in their lives. The highest possible worship and service to God is when we obey the apostle Paul's plea in Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- THIS is your spiritual act of worship." Christianity without this principle of heart surrender to our living Lord is a contradiction of the very essence of following Jesus. It produces spiritually bankrupt lives that are listless and impotent. It does require grace to sing "Hallelujah" to God, but far more grace is needed to sincerely sing "I Surrender All." Adapted from "Surrender- The Heart God Controls" by Nancy DeMoss ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope you all have received these "surrender" messages with an open and willing heart. If you find that in some area- you are still wanting to 'hold the reigns'- there is hope! I have learned that even when I am not willing- I can pray for the Lord to "cause" me to be willing. I am sure that we are all wanting to please Him. We are all a work in progress and He will bring His work in you to completion if you will allow Him to have His way with you. :) Much grace, peace, and joy to you!!! ~Chanin

Just bringing this back up to the front. This message is so important in the church. If we could understand this then so much would fall into place in our Christian lives.Walking with him, Chanin

"There will likely be a time in our Christian journeys when, like Jacob, we will wrestle with God all night long... But there must eventually come a dawn when we say, "OK, God, You win... Not My will but Thine be done."I've been saying and praying something of the sort (and often literally "not my will but Thine be done") more or less since I converted (2.5 years ago or so). I've prayed a lot of dangerous prayers, "make me Christ-like," "make me what You want me to be," etc, and I still do. I think my two favorite phrases in the Bible, and the ones I most identify with, are:Luke 22:42b "not My will, but Thine be done."Job 13:15a "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him"I yearn for a state of total surrender on my part, that God's will be done in me as it is in Heaven.It's sometimes frustrating: I'm willing for Him to "take over," never mind this free will business, it only ever meant I could mess up anyway. But that's just not the way He works, I suppose.He's been amazingly faithful, though, it seems He's always working in me somewhere or dealing with me about something, so usually each month is better than the ones before."But I'm just human. None of us is going to be perfect until we get to heaven."That's a lie straight out of hell. It's one of Satan's favorites, it makes it look like he's done such an effective job, like he's so much more powerful than God, that we have no hope of obeying God, that we can only look forward to Heaven.1 Corinthians 10:13There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which ye are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.1 John 514 And this is the confidence that we have in Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.1 Peter 113 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind; be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.14 As obedient children, do not fashion yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, 15 but as He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of living,16 because it is written: "Be ye holy, for I am holy."Matthew 5:48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect. The first blip on the screen came when the enemy, already a rebel himselfSon of the morning! Highest of all creation, and first to rebel. Why did he turn? More puzzling, how? From whence came evil, if it had no vessel before him? So the man and the woman tried to wrest control from the hands of their soveriegn Creator. They resisted the will of God and insisted on sharing His throne. The battle had begun.In the garden of Eden the first Adam started the war, In the garden of Gethsemane the second Adam won the decisive victory. Once the will was surrendered, the rest was secure.As long as we refuse to surrender our will to the will of God, we are never truly free. Rather, we find ourselves dominated by ungodly appetites and forces.Quite true, and on a broader scale than one first imagines. Ever read C.S. Lewis's "Abolition of Man"? The pinnacle of man's conquest of nature, it seems, would be in reality nature's conquest of man."I have been before God, and have given myself, all that I am and have, to God; so that I am not, in any respect, my own... I have given myself clear away, and have not retained any thing as my own."May we all be thus. Certainly I have no love of trying to find my own way or travelling it, for only at the end of God's path is there anything but death.Sadly, for the past 150 years or more, evangelicalism has developed a theology that offers assurance of salvation to almost anyone who prays a prayer or "makes a decision for Christ", even though he may still be clinging to his rights, holding on to his sin, and bent on running his own life. The scripture does not recognize such a profession as genuine.As I understand it, B.H. Clendenen (in his 80s now) has had one vision from God in all his life: that of a sinner in hell searching for the preacher that lied to him, telling him that he could go on sinning and still go to Heaven.Jesus warned, "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only He who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt.7:21)How clear, how thoroughly clear. I hadn't even seen how obvious the point of that verse is until now.God says "Here's a blank piece of paper. I want you to sign your name on the bottom line, hand it back and let Me fill in the details. Why? Because I am God; because I have bought you; because I am trustworthy; because you know how much I love you; because you live for my glory and not your own independant, self-promoting pleasure."Amen!When she wrote, "Work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost," she had no way of knowing what full surrender would cost her. Although some might consider the cost extremely high, I am confident that Betty, having laid down her life for Christ, would not think the price too high.To me, being killed in service to God is preferable to any other death except being taken home after a full lifetime of service to God. To live is Christ, to die is gain.when asked how he would like to be introduced when speaking to gatherings, he says simply, "I wish to be introduced as 'a slave of Jesus Christ'".Beautiful, Biblical, and exactly the way I feel.The first of those changes took place at the beginning of the 20th century, when the 19th century emphasis on "pursuing holiness" shifted to a desire for "uplifting, ecstatic experiences."And it's an utter tragedy.A second change took place in the 1950's and 60's- a shift from the call to full surrender, to the call to "committment"And it's a slap in the face of God.Translators did not like the term "bondslave" to be applied to people. Who wants to be somebody's slave? They replaced it with "servant"Perhaps they had no personal experience of truly being God's slaves, and it made no sense to them. Most professing Christians have no such experience.Jesus makes it clear in Luke 17 that however much you do for God, at the end of the day you say: "I am an unworthy slave; I only did what is the duty of the slave to do!" But all that is gone now, by the replacement of the word "slave" with the word "servant'".I've thought of them as meaning the same, in this context, but it's eye-opening to see the difference in meaning that most people probably go by.Lord, engage my heart today with a passion that will not pass away. I pledge from this day to the grave- to be Thine own, unquestioning slave.Amen!'I am yours- I belong to you, and I want to spend the rest of my life fulfilling your wishes."May we all choose to be bondslaves of Christ Jesus.I have come to believe that there is no higher calling than to be marked as His slaveThe greatest emperor in all of history cannot compare to "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).The example of those devoted to Communism should cause US- those who claim to know the TRUTH- to examine our own level of sacrifice and surrenderThey put us to shame. Replace the words "Socialism" and "the party" with "Christ" and you've got roughly what every one of us should be saying.For a while I've thought that Socialism came about due to a gross failure on the part of the Church to tend to the needy. Now I think it's also partly due to the gross failure on the part of the Church to be properly devoted to Christ. People saw what it meant to be "Christian" and wanted no part of the lukewarm hypocrisy that characterized much of the institutional "Church", the Socialists were more serious, consistent, and honest about their agenda.I need to be so utterly God's that He can use me or hide me, as He chooses, as an arrow in His hand or in his quiver. I will ask no questions: I relinquish all rights to Him who desires my supreme good. He knows best.Amen!"We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table- "Here's my life Lord. I'm giving it all." But the reality for most of us is that He sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there; $1.00 here and $2.00 there. Listening to a neigbor kid's troubles, giving a cup of water to a thirsty old man in a nursing home. It's done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time."That might be right, and certainly there's the constant flow of little things, but I think it's us giving everything over to God and Him filling us up beyond anything we could possibly have been apart from Him, and constantly pouring out through us ever-increasing rivers of living water and His love.God's call to lay down our lives on the altar of sacrifice means that we give Him all that we are - our rights, our reputation, our desires, our future plans; everything that concerns us - first, for a lifetime, and then, day by day, moment by moment, decision by decision.Let us never forget Abraham, whom God called to put his only begotten son on the altar. Putting myself on the altar would not be particularly hard, but something like that would be a much more difficult test, because it is so dire an infringement upon another. I'm thankful that He would not ask me to harm another, so far as I know.In those moments, my emotions sometimes cry out, 'I've already given so much! I just can't give any more." That's when I need to take a trip to Calvary and look into the eyes of a bleeding God who gave everything to reconcile me to Himself.Yes, whenever we think He's asking too much, let us remember that He also offered up His only begotten Son, and He didn't hold back when the time came. He knew what had to be done for those He loved, and He sacrificed more than we can ever know to do it. How much more does He deserve our love?PROVISION- Will I have what I need?Seek ye first the Kingdom of God...PLEASURE- Will I be happy?Irrelevant.If I fully surrender to God, will I be miserable?Irrelevant. Will I be able to do the things I enjoy?Irrelevant.What if He wants me to give up my career...or sports... or my favorite hobby...or my best friend...or the foods I really like?Then you give it up.Will I be fulfilled if I obey Him?Of course, but you must be willing to do without any fulfillment or pleasure. All this is irrelevant, unconditional surrender is unconditional surrender. PROTECTION- Will I (and those I love) be safe?Irrelevant, and beyond your control to begin with.PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS- Will my relational needs be met?Irrelevant, and a relationship, a true, loving, unimpeded, all-consuming relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is enough for anyone.What if the Lord wants me to be single all my life?So be it. How can I live without sex or romance?By His grace. What if my mate never loves me?Irrelevant, the absolutely sovereign, just, and loving God of Heaven loves you.How can I handle the rejection of my parents?By God's grace.What if people reject our family because of our commitment to biblical standards?Rejoice that you are deemed worthy to share in Christ's sufferings.God wants us to experience provision, pleasure, protection, and personal relationships. But He wants us to seek them in the only place they can be found- in Him.How amazingly gracious He is... these things are meant to be a by-product of a right relationship with Him, and He is absolutely faithful to provide us as we need according to His plan.In the bible, whenever one of His children was fearful to step out alone, God's simple response was- I WILL BE WITH YOU. The implication was - I AM ENOUGH. IF YOU HAVE ME, YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED.Amen!Am I submissive to God in relation to what (and how much) I eat and drink, and how much and when I sleep?Sleep, I sleep too much... I know I've got to start getting up in the early hours and spend time alone with God in prayer and His Word, but the combination of the temptation of comfort and sleep and the less-than-fully-awake state in which I must usually make the decision... As I understand it, God kept John Wesley going on 4 hours sleep a day.Let me be employed by Thee or laid aside for Thee, Exalted for thee or brought low for Thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.Amen! Whatever you desire, O Lord Jesus Christ, have it be thus.Take my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.Again and again I plead with Him, consume me, possess me, have it literally be no longer me living, but Christ living in me.I have learned that even when I am not willing- I can pray for the Lord to "cause" me to be willing.I've had many similar experiences. Sometimes I feel like I'm waiting for Him to "get on with it," but I'm the problem, not Him.Just bringing this back up to the front. This message is so important in the church. If we could understand this then so much would fall into place in our Christian lives.Thank you, it's a blessing to read.

I am a witness that God is faithful to those who love Him. When I was a new Christian, I was not living in the circumstances that I thought I would be at that age(22). I was broken, and when I heard a bible teacher tell me I could give God all my worries and problems, that He would take care of them better than I could, I didn't understand it, but I welcomed it. I didn't want to carry all my burdens. At the time, I had just left my husband who had choked me and threatened to kill me and steal our son. Since he knew where I lived, I was really scared of him, even though I had police intervention. This fear was controlling me in many ways, and it was a legitimate concern. I hated this problem, though, and I was thankful I could give it to God. I prayed for His protection, and would trust in Him to take care of my husband. My part would be to obey His word and trust in God, which was much better than my old sinful lifestyle that reaped misery and death. I was at the point of surrendering whatever God wanted me to surrender because my flesh had always failed me and did the wrong things. Well, 3 years later, I am not scared of anything. I have even witnessed to my murderous husband through the mail once, and I pray salvation for him and his family, and pray they will leave me alone unless they repent. I cannot reach out any closer for now for my son's sake, but I was the answer to my own prayers about a Christian reaching out to him to evangelize (which surprised even me). In all this time, I've never moved, he knows where I live, and he's left me alone (he's in prison right now for bugging some other girl). As a Christian, I have my faith in the Lord. He has been so faithful to me, and came down to my level and answered so many of my prayers, I just want to bear witness of that to other brothers and sisters. We can have problems, but we don't have to be ruled by them. I was so sad when I learned my husband committed adultery and was in prison. That's not so wonderful, but I am thankful that God keeps me humble. Let's trust in God, obey God, follow God no matter what the circumstances look like, God can change circumstances when He will. It's all working for our good. Even be thankful for problems like the apostle Paul, God is in control."since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5

I would like to add something pertaining to this thread I've noticed among some churchgoers. Full surrender to God does not mean we then do nothing and just wait for God to do everything. There are things He has said in His Word, that Christians are commanded to do, summed up as Love God wholeheartedly and love our neighbors as ourselves (the whole bible expounds on this). To expect God to fulfill these commands thinking God will do everything is lazy. God's word will come to pass, whether we work for or against Him. But to do nothing claiming Jesus is our Lord when He has given us commands is LAZY and WICKED. God's commands don't always include doing more church activities and making more money either. Just wanted to clear that up, I have met some people who expect God to do everything, including take out their trash, now that's just stupid (ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but people can be pretty lazy when it comes to obeying Jesus). Christians are servants, and lovers, we should actively show the love of God, not just expect God to obey His own commands. Jesus gives us commands, they are not burdensome if you love God wholeheartedly, He will help you."By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: WHOEVER CLAIMS TO LIVE IN HIM MUST WALK AS JESUS DID." 1 John 2:3-6. The last sentence is emphasized because it is a very sobering scripture, something I don't hear preached very often either. How do we know what Jesus was like, unless one reads the Gospels especially. So many are making up an imaginery Jesus, let's not make an idol to worship, let's find out the truth and obey truth, not imaginations.

Good points."If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your Godand walking in obedience to Him, then don't begin; for this is what Christianity is all about.It is a change of citizanship, a change of governments, a change of allegiance.If you have no intention of letting Christ rule your life, then forget Christianity; It's not for you."~Kay AurthurSatisfied in Him alone, Chanin

Surrender- Raising an altarNow, Abraham came to be known by his contemporaries as Abraham the Hebrew. You find that reference in Genesis, chapter 14, verse 13. The word "Hebrew" means "stranger" or "alien" and from the perspective of the people who lived in the land of Canaan, Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were always something of misfits. They didn't really belong. They were strangers. They were aliens.But, that was okay because this couple understood that everything that this world offers is temporary at best. So their ultimate citizenship wasn't here on this earth. They were living for an eternal home and that was what made them willing to live as pilgrims, as strangers, as aliens, to not fit into this world and this world system because they had an eternal home for which they were headed.We read this concept in Hebrews, chapter 11, that great story of the men and woman of faith beginning in verse 13. The Scripture says that all these different Old Testament saints, "these died in faith, not having received the things promised but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."Listen, if you put roots down too deeply into this earth, you'll have a really hard time when God asks you to surrender something that you hold dear. The key to surrender is realizing that you are just in a tent here. This is not your home. This is not permanent. We are strangers. We are exiles on the earth. Our citizenship is in heaven. And the writer to Hebrews goes on to say in Hebrews 11, verse 14, "For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country that is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared for them a city."So, Abraham and Sarah, along with others listed in this great chapter of faith, they were willing to risk everything this world considers essential in order to be eternally secure and to gain the blessing of God. And that's exactly what happened. Though he was an alien on earth from earth's perspective, from heaven's perspective, Abraham was called the friend of God.The development of Abraham's extraordinary relationship with God can be defined in terms of a series of surrenders that Abraham made to God over the course of his life. And each of those surrenders was based on a revelation of a covenant-keeping, promise-keeping God. Now, as Abraham made those surrenders, I think one of the most distinct symbols of Abraham's life was this thing called an altar. On four distinct occasions at four distinct stages in his pilgrimage, we are told that Abraham responded to God by building an altar. You read about the first one in Genesis, chapter 12 [:7] at Shechem. And then the next verse between Bethel and Ai, Abraham built altars in response to God.And then in chapter 13 [:18] at Hebron, he built another altar to God. At each of these altars, he was saying, "Lord, I've heard what You said. I've heard what You reveal to be true about Yourself. I've heard Your promises and I just want to respond to You by saying, 'I believe Your promises. I receive Your promises and I surrender to You and to Your control my life and everything that matters to me.'" That's what those altars meant. God has promised. God is faithful so I trust Him and I surrender to Him. And then the fourth time on a mountain called Moriah, this man, who was called the friend of God, built yet one more altar. Genesis, chapter 22 tells us about how on that altar at God's clear yet incomprehensible direction, Abraham placed his own son, the child of the promise, Isaac, the longed for, the long-awaited child. God said, "Offer him up." And in that moment of supreme surrender and faith, Abraham said, "I trust You, God."It was a relinquishing of everything he held dear because embodied in that child was all of Abraham's hopes and dreams and aspirations and his future and everything that he had longed for. Everything that God had promised him was bound up in the life of that child and when God said, "Give up that child" it didn't make any sense at all. But Abraham was a friend of God, he was a stranger and an alien on this earth and he said, "Okay, God, I trust You."And I want us to notice that all of those earlier altars of sacrifice and surrender and faith, each one of those had been preparing Abraham for the moment when he would be called upon to make the supreme sacrifice. And so when Mount Moriah came, Genesis 22, Abraham had a track record with God and that's what enabled him to step out in faith and surrender.And, likewise, each small step of surrender you take, it may be just getting out of bed in the morning when the alarm clock goes off and getting up in time to spend some time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer. And that's a small surrender; it's an altar you built. It's not a big deal. But as you make that small act of surrender, as you build that altar, every step of surrender that you take confirms that God is worthy of your trust and prepares you to trust Him with bigger surrenders that may be required down the road.You see, altars speak of sacrifice, of devotion, of surrender, of being consumed. They speak of a life that is wholly given up to the one for whom the altar is built. In some of our churches we have a place, a location, an object at the front of the sanctuary that we identify as an altar. And we don't light fires and offer literal sacrifices on those places but they are intended to serve as visible reminders of what should be a spiritual reality for every child of God. The hymn writer put it this way, *My heart an altar and thy love the flame, offering up ourselves in full surrender to God." So the surrender points that Abraham and Sarah faced over the course of their lives are probably similar to some that you have faced in your life. For example, I think about Abraham and Sarah being called to leave their hometown, the place where all their family was, the place where they had grown up and leaving family and friends behind.Maybe you have had to do that, to leave what was comfortable and familiar and to go to a new city where you did not know a soul and you did it because you thought, This is what God wants. Your emotions were screaming, You can't do this. But faith said, "Trust God, step out and do it."Abraham surrendered the best land option to his nephew, Lot. And there were times when you have been asked to make a choice to sacrifice your own interest for the sake of others. If you are a mother, you do that every day. And then that time came when Lot was in a backslidden condition and Abraham took on this massive military machine to rescue him from his captures. Well, there may be times when you have to stay involved and pursue the heart of a mate, a son, a daughter, a parent who has a rebellious heart and is far from the Lord and God is calling you to stay involved, stay engaged, stay in the pursuit in that relationship.When Abraham refused to accept the spoils of war from an ungodly king…there may be a time when you have to turn down a lucrative offer because you know it's not pleasing to the Lord. It's not His will for your life and you have to trust, God is going to meet my needs even though I am not willing to take ethical shortcuts to receive this benefit. So, you say, "Thanks, but no thanks. I turn it down."I think of Sarah living for 25 years after God has promised them this multiple seed, this progeny, these children and grandchildren for generations to come. But for 25 years she has no children, living with infertility. And I know there are women who love God with all their hearts and are walking by faith and are surrendering to God and their hearts are longing to have a child and yet God has not chosen to bless them with a child. And so when you surrender that longing to God, when you offer it up to Him and you say, "Lord, I trust You to fulfill Your purposes and to know and to do what is best for my life." And you surrender that desire to Him. I think of Sarah submitting to a husband who sometimes made wrong decisions. We read about that in Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 but First Peter 3 comments on her obedience and it says that she trusted in God, not ultimately in her husband.And because she trusted in God, she did what was right and what was right was to obey her husband. But as a result she was freed from fear. And when you submit to your husband, trusting God even when your husband makes a decision that looks wrong, and may be wrong, and God says, "Trust me. Let me be God. Let me work in that man's heart. Let me change the king's heart because the king's heart is in the Lord's hand." And even if it comes to (what for a mom must be the ultimate sacrifice) giving up the life of a child that you consider dearer than your own life, if you know that you have been walking with God, then even in that moment…and I think about my widowed mom who had to face the loss of a 22-year-old son in a car accident, and no, it has not been easy.And yes, it has been hard; but ultimately she has had to come, as you have to come, to that point of saying, "God, I trust You. You don't make mistakes. You know what You are doing."And so when it comes to those uncertainties that keep us from walking by faith, that keep us from surrender, that keep us from making those sacrifices, like Abraham, we have what the Scripture calls great and precious promises, promises from God's Word, promises that powerfully counteract our deepest fears and reservations. And if we trust those promises and we trust the God who made them, we consider Him faithful who has promised, we will be given courage to make every sacrifice that He may ask. -N. DeMoss (Revive our Hearts)

Surrender-God's PromisesI think one of the biggest fears that we have—and it's also one of our biggest needs—is that of relinquishing control, letting go, not having to manage the entire world ourselves. We have this fear that if we let go—if we relinquish control—that everything is going to fall apart and that it's all going to be out of control. It's our fears I think that often keep us just clinging and hanging on, and ultimately those fears and that hanging on are so self-destructive.But the enemy lies to us and he convinces us that if you live a life of surrendering everything to the Lord, if you don't hold back anything from the Lord, if you relinquish control to Him, you're going to be miserable. We've talked about the four categories of fears: provision (will I have what I need?), pleasure (will I be happy?), protection (will I be safe and will the people I love be safe, my children, my mate?) and personal relationships (will my relational and emotional needs be met if I just let God have His way in my life?).What we don't realize on the front end of those struggles is that not until we do let go and surrender and relinquish control do we find ourselves with the fullest possible provision, pleasure, protection and personal relationships. We settle for something that is far less than what God intends for us if we insist on trying to fill those empty places of our hearts ourselves. That's why it's so important that we fill our minds and our hearts with the promises of God—that we get to know God and get to know His promises. For every fear we have, God has a promise. There's something about who God is and about what He has promised that meets us at our points of deepest fear. We've seen this over the last several sessions with Abraham and Sarah as they had to face many of the same fears that we do and had to live with a lot of the same real-life issues and worse in many ways. Time after time God said, "Let Me show you who I am. This is Me. This is who I am. This is what I am like. These are My promises. I am your provision. I am your protection. I am your God."As this couple built altars of surrender and faith, God came through. God was faithful. Even if we're not faithful, God still is. I see in the life of Abraham and Sarah and in our own lives as well that it really gets reduced to those two words, "Trust and obey." Trust that God is who He says He is. Then step out and obey. Do what God is asking you to do. When you can't figure out how it's all going to work, step out and do it by faith. The more you get to know God, the more you can trust and obey.So let's look today and in the next session at those four different fears and just examine some of the promises of God that counteract our fears, remembering that God wants us to experience provision, pleasure, protection and personal relationships. But He wants us to seek those things in the only place where they can really be found, and that is in Him.So take this matter of provision—the fear of "Will I have what I need?" We said, "What promise does God have to counteract that fear?" I think about that passage in Luke 12 [:22], where Jesus said to His disciples, "I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on." Then we come down to Luke 12:28: "If God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried, for all the nations of the world seek after these things. And your Father"—that's the key, we have a Father, capital "F"—"knows that you need these things."So Jesus said, "Instead of worrying and being fretful and anxious and fearful about your provision and where it's going to come from, trust that your Father knows and then seek His kingdom. Seek the things that matter to Him, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock."I love this verse. Luke 12:32: "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." God has a kingdom for us, and we're saying, "What am I going to eat and what am I going to drink and what am I going to wear and where am I going to live?" Jesus said, "Your Father knows that you need these things."He has promised in Philippians 4:19 that He will "meet all of our needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." He has said, "I want to give you everything." So what are the implications of that promise? One, be content with what we have, remembering that contentment is accepting that God has already given me all that I need for my present peace and happiness. That means if I don't have it, I don't need it. Hebrews 13:5: "Be content with such things as you have, because God has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" So if you have Him, how can we think that we will not have everything else that we need? If God has given us Himself—He has given us His Son, He has given us His salvation—we have all of those promises, all of that provision. "Fear not, little flock. It's the Father's good pleasure to give you His kingdom," [Luke Hour="12">12:32] how can we become anxious and worried and fretful about where the next meal is coming from? Be content with what we have. Don't worry about how our future needs will be met because God has promised, "I will meet your needs."Matthew 6. Luke 12. Jesus says, "Don't worry about these things." When we are anxious and fearful, it's because we're trying to control something that we're afraid may get out of our control. God says, "Let Me control it. Let Me be your provider." Trust that God is going to provide.I've been reading recently in the Book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament and the story of how Elijah went to King Ahab and said, "The word of the Lord says that it's not going to rain. Neither dew nor rain for the next three years." Then God said to Elijah, "Go to this brook, and I have prepared ravens to feed you."Every morning and every evening, God sent birds to bring food to Elijah. Then when the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land, God said, "I have prepared a widow in the town of Zarephath to meet your needs. Go there." And there was a whole story about how God had prepared this woman, who out of her own need, ministered to the needs of the servant of God. God provided for both of them throughout the duration of the famine.I think as I read that passage, "How many times does God want to supply our needs in supernatural ways, but we don't give Him the chance?" We're too busy trying to figure out how to manage on our own. A woman wrote recently and she said, "I really want to be at home with my children, but my husband has lost his job and I've had to go out to work to provide for our family."I don't know this woman. I don't know God's will for her life. What I'm going to say is not particularly in response to her, but in general my thought is, as I think about the ways and the word of God, is it possible that by going out into the marketplace rather than waiting on the Lord that she and her husband missed an opportunity to see God provide for their needs in a supernatural way that would have allowed her to stay in the home and fulfill her heart's desire to be with her children?I'm not saying that critically. I'm not saying across the board how God does it in every situation. He may not send ravens to meet your family's needs. But I'll tell you what—He could. If that's what God needed to do in order to meet the needs of your family, He would. You see, that's not just the God of the Old Testament. We have a God today who is a supernatural provider—Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider. How many times do we not get to see God bare His arm and do what only God can do because we're still trying to be in control? So we have His promises. We're to be content. We're not to worry about how our future needs will be met. Then when we have a need, rather than fretting or striving or manipulating, what are we to do? Simply ask Him to meet our needs and ask in faith, confident that if He knows this is a need, He will provide it.Ask the Lord. Tell Him what your needs are. "Don't be anxious for anything. In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God" [Philippians 4:6]. Then you will have the peace of God that will control your heart and your mind.I've had the privilege for 24 years now of serving with Life Action Ministries, a revival ministry ministering to the heart of the local church. Most of the staff in that ministry raise their own financial support as missionaries. It's been an incredible thing over the years as I've watched many children grow up in that ministry to see those kids watching God provide month after month, supernaturally at times, to meet the financial and material needs of their families.One of those families, who has been with the ministry for longer than I have—they raised all three of their children in this way of just trusting God to supply their needs month after month. Those kids went through Christian college debt free. They've had to be content with less than what most people would think they need to be content, but that's been part of trusting the promises of God. The father in that home wrote recently and told me what a joy it was to see one of his sons now, who is in his early thirties and who is now a missionary with his children overseas serving the Lord, and that son wrote his dad and said, "Dad, I learned that I can depend on God to meet our family's needs because of what I saw when I was growing up as you trusted the Lord to meet our family's needs."So as your children are growing up in your home, that doesn't mean you have to be a missionary to walk by faith, but as you have needs in your family, do your children see you praying, asking the Lord to meet those needs? That should just be a natural response. But what is our natural response instead? Worry and fret and fuss and fume. Instead, tell the Lord, trust His promises and then watch and see how God provides.N. DeMoss