God Is Jealous Over Us

I sent this message out today:I was wondering why after just a few short days of going back to the YMCA, my fire and desire to work out keeps fading (many of you know my background with fitness). I feel no love for it at all after just a day or so. Then I read this quote and now I know why:"The Lord is very jealous over any saint who is utterly abandoned to Him. He does not let that believer have any pleasures at all outside of Himself." M.Jeane GuyonI can only be consumed with Him. He will not allow much of my time or love to go toward anything but Him. How odd in a way, how odd in today's world of pleasing the flesh, how odd in view of everyone's call for "balance". There is no balancing God.---------------Though I get some wonderful and enouraging responses and emails, it is quite obvious that many think that this kind of abandonment to God is "wacko", "crazy", and/or "over-the-edge".Where is the abandonment to God in the churches? Does no one teach this? Are the sheep not being taught to surrender and abandon it all for Christ who gave His all for us? What a shame. :-o I am sad for the Lord that He does not get the love and allegiance that He so deserves.Hidden in Him, Chanin

Yes, I have "Absolute Surrender" and read it a couple of years ago. Excellent! I still believe that the "Surrender" book by Nancy DeMoss may be a better choice for people who want to learn about surrender because it is so detailed and is written in easy language. plus I know she got most of her material from reading the likes of Murray, Chambers, Fenelon, Spurgeon Bro. Lawrence, etc... So it's kind of the best of the best of surrender put together. :)I do believe that the message of absolute surrender or abandonment to God (whatever you like to call it :) is an absolute necessity in today's church. Without it, there will be no revival. The gospel has become so full of self and humanism that absolute surrender seems cruel and unusual punishment to believers. Surrendering our wills and our rights (the hardest and last things) to anything and everthing is something that most Christians cannot wrap their minds around.I am praying about how I might take this message to the church. Time is ticking away.In Him, Chanin

Finally, a topic I understand! When I read your thoughts on abandonment, I so understand what you mean. I've always been restless. I am 46 years old and I can remember being restless and dissatisfied even as a child. Now that I have come to Christ, I understand that it is the jealous spirit of God, ever drawing me. I cannot be satisfied with this life. It seems so puny and futile. My heart longs for something not of this world. Even in my spiritual walk, there is no rest. I am beginning to believe that I have some kind of call to intercession that I haven't understood before, perhaps like these guys of old who couldn't sleep for begging God for revival. I truly understand now that all of humanity is doomed without the light of God turning on for us. We cannot possibly see the truth outside of a divine miracle of grace. Thanks for your words about exercise. I have had to abandon many things because it felt "yucky". Sometimes I feel really alone.

Dian,Sometimes I feel really aloneI believe many restless believers feel alone much of the time. I have had many times where I felt alone and misunderstood and then there have been fewer times where I feel that I have felt somewhat normal.I am finding out that these "alone" times are a real blessing! For I really have to depend on God alone and my focus is totally all on Him. I seem to be unable to take a step without Him. Tozer wrote a wonderful article about this: The Saint must Walk AloneIn Him, Chanin