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Philemon Day 13 Abundant Expectation

March 1, 2023 by Sarah Young Leave a Comment

Philemon Day 13 Abundant Expectation

Sarah Young

March 1, 2023

Bold,church,Community,Gospel,Grace,Welcome

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 21-22 
Philippians 2:1-4
Colossians 3:1-17
Galatians 5
Psalm 86:1-7

Pack your bags, Philemon! Paul is taking you on a guilt trip.

That’s how I used to view this compact Bible book. On the surface, Paul begins with a bold appeal to Philemon to do what is right (verse 8) and ends with confidence Philemon will exceed his expectations (verse 21).

Even though Paul assures Philemon he doesn’t want him to act out of obligation (verse 14), my readings left me thinking Paul had backed Philemon into a corner, pressuring him to obey (verse 16).

Yet even as we focus ONLY on verses 21-22 today, we can appreciate the DEPTH and richness of Scripture. 

If we scratch past the surface, 
we see Paul’s words speak to the beauty of the united body of Christ, 
the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through believers surrendered to His will,
the corporate maturity that follows as individuals submit to Jesus,
and the confidence with which Christians can pray.

Instead of a guilt trip, we travel with Philemon on an incredible journey as Paul unpacks remarkable truths about our amazing God. 

If we circle back to Paul’s introductory commendation of Philemon’s “love for all the saints” and his “faith [. . .] in the Lord Jesus” (verse 5), we can better understand why Paul is so confident Philemon will exceed his expectations in welcoming back Onesimus, his fugitive slave-turned-disciple. (verse 20).  

Furthermore, we realize Paul was not simply counting on Philemon’s acquiescence (verse 8), but was trusting Philemon to submit to the work of the Spirit within him. The Holy Spirit would be accomplishing the work of reconciliation when Philemon accepted Onesimus as a brother in the Lord, strengthening the believers as the UNITED body of Christ.

We, too, have been given this work of reconciliation. We have ALL been slaves to sin, deserving death, facing eternal separation from God. But then, God sent His one and only Son to the world to die in our place and pay the penalty for OUR sin. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, whoever believes in Him and accepts His FREE gift of salvation will be forgiven of their sin, restored to relationship with God, and begins a NEW, eternal life in Christ. THIS is the good news we have been commissioned to share! 

Paul writes of how Jesus brings ALL people TOGETHER to form the united body of Christ.  Indeed, people from all tongues, tribes, and nations will join as one in heaven, singing and praising God forever and ever. (Revelation 7:9-17) Paul expects rich and poor, Jew and Greek, slave and free to come together as equals to worship the Savior Who died for them all.

I am sure if Paul were to write a letter to believers in ANY church today, he would have the SAME expectations as he did for those in Colossae: 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another [. . .] Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts.” (Colossians 3:12-15, emphasis mine)

Like Philemon, we ARE called to love our neighbor, even the one with the annoying dog who barks at 3 am, the reckless driver who cuts us off, the coach who doesn’t give our children equal playing time, and fill in the blank. The same Holy Spirit who helped Philemon greet Onesimus as a “dearly loved brother” (verse 16) will work in and through us to continue the work of unifying and strengthening the body of Christ.

Philemon wasn’t able to control or change his circumstances. 
Nor can we.  

However, like Philemon, we CAN CHOOSE to surrender to God, who is constantly willing to re-shape our hearts. When our focus is on Jesus, what’s happening AROUND us fades in comparison to what God is doing IN us. Our trust grows as we look to our Sovereign Shepherd who works all things for our good and His glory, in His time, and in His way. (Romans 8:1-17)

This confidence becomes evident as we live in earnest and eager expectation of answered prayer.  Consider Paul, who was so positive Philemon’s prayers would be answered for Paul’s release that he instructed Philemon to prepare his guest room! (verse 22) Paul was relying on the Spirit to work in Philemon to accomplish reconciliation with Onesimus AND for Paul’s own restoration to freedom. 

We can have the same confident expectation as we pray TODAY. The same Spirit is guiding and teaching us, leading us in Truth. (John 16:13-25) The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is alive in us, empowering and equipping us to carry out the divine ministry God has given us. (Romans 6:1-11; Romans 8:1-11)

So we end our journey through Philemon with Paul’s prayer for unity in the body of Christ, the growth and maturity of believers, and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being firmly rooted and established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us– to Him be the glory[.]” 
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

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faith,family,love,prayer,surrender
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Paul knew that God used the prayers of His people to perform His will (John 15:7-8).

Paul asked for prayer and prayed constantly himself because he believed that when God’s people prayed, God worked in them and through them to perform His will and His Word.

Like Paul, let's pray for our friends and ask them to pray for us, inviting God to work in every situation we face.
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Posted in: Bold, church, Community, Gospel, Grace, Welcome Tagged: faith, family, love, prayer, surrender

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 3

February 11, 2023 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 3

Carol Graft

February 11, 2023

bride,Character,Community,GT Weekend,Suffering

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Acts 4:32-37

32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Lord, You are Holy above all we can ask or think. You are more than faithful to provide what we need, when we need it. Help me to hold fast to what is true about You and Your work despite my circumstances. Help me resist the urge to control and give way to frantic fear.

Equip me to live with one mind and one accord with fellow believers as we urge each other to trust You. Give us willing hearts to surrender in full. I pray that our everyday surrender will make us ready to live generously as Your Spirit leads us. Help us to trust you as Provider when we don’t immediately see the provision but we see the need. As we give and share with open hands, shape our hearts so we are actively living from a place of desiring to give You glory. Use our actions to draw others closer to You. 
In Jesus name, Amen!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Brenda’s Journey Study, together with Stacy’s Digging Deeper Study, beautifully remind us just what surrender looks like in real life.

Do you ever recognize yourself grasping at control, only to end up more frustrated and frantic? Comparing and contrasting true surrender with self-sufficiency helps us understand how one brings freedom and one births only anxiousness and struggle. Freedom and peace are available to each of us if we are willing to trust the Almighty God who loves us; the choice is ours.

Brenda’s examples from Scripture really highlight God’s faithful character to finish His good work in us, which provides us with strong encouragement! It’s not easy to be convicted of sin, but it is necessary to welcome the full life God desires for us. We must hold to the truths of God’s Word that He is indeed, and always will be, our Sustainer, Supplier, and Satisfier.

Full surrender to Christ won’t mean our lives will be strife-free, but it does mean we will be held in God’s hands and He will faithfully bring about His glory and our good!

JOURNAL TWO

Using the unlikely story of Hosea and Gomer, Amy paints a wonderful picture of what godly surrender in relationships look like. She first demonstrates how, not only is the biblical narrative a depiction of God and Israel, but it’s also a portrayal of God and us.

Humans are sinful creatures by nature and it’s easy for us to neglect keeping God foremost in our hearts, minds, and lives. Then Amy flips things and shows us that, like Hosea, we each long for pure relationships. We were created for rich and meaningful, healthy connections, but also like Hosea, we tend to go about things our own way.

We need to learn to surrender and trust God for our desires, not just in romance and marriage, but in friendships and co-worker partnerships as well.

Let’s choose together to surrender our ideals to God and trust He will give us better than we could possibly do on our own.

JOURNAL THREE

In yesterday’s Journey Study, Mandy transparently shared how her struggle with chronic illness, after decades of health, has reminded her to surrender in full to Jesus.

The call to surrender sounds painful and challenging as she shared her story! Have you walked similar pathways? When our life seems to be headed in a fine direction and our plans are made only to be sidelined by significant challenges, whether chronic illness or something else, our perspective changes.

Often, the temptation is to become embittered at God or angry at others, casting blame and wrapped ever tighter in pain. Thankfully, when we surrender to the Lord Jesus, as Mandy exemplified, there is still blessing and Kingdom work to accomplish.

Even if we don’t understand all of God’s reasons or have satisfactory answers to our “why” questions, we can be confident that in surrender of our hearts and lives, God will be faithful to work in and through us to accomplish His good and eternal work!
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Posted in: bride, Character, Community, GT Weekend, Suffering Tagged: pain, peace, relationships, surrender, unity

Surrender Day 15 A New Life

February 10, 2023 by Mandy Farmer Leave a Comment

Surrender Day 15 A New Life

Mandy Farmer

February 10, 2023

Alive,Anchored,Hope,Longing,Pain

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Mark 8:34-38
Philippians 3:7-11
Acts 20:22-24
Psalm 23

“I want my life back.”

Chronic pain steals your life. It takes your health, your daily life, your family time, your hobbies, your social life, your ministries. And sometimes it takes your job and even your home. Who could blame a person for saying she wants her life back?

Honestly, I felt I was right in the center of God’s will when my whole world stopped. I was nearly finished raising my family. Our youngest was 15. As a home-schooling mom, I had established a homeschool co-op that had grown from 3 to 50 families. I had 25 years of children’s ministry under my belt, and my husband was the senior pastor at our church. Though we found ourselves overly busy, too tired, and looking for a way to retire and slow down, we had “the life.”

As I write, I’m reminded of the parable in Luke 12 of the wealthy farmer who said, “I will build more barns. Then I will sit back and relax.” There are just too many “I will, I did” phrases in the above paragraph; it rubs my heart and soul the wrong way.

This sticks in me because, you see, my life is not my own.
It belongs to God to do with as He pleases.
I wonder now, how much was I really depending on God in those “good” times? After losing everything, we learned we hadn’t really been trusting God until we had nothing to lean on BUT HIM. 

The Apostle Paul knew how to trust God for everything, how to be content with much or little. (Philippians 4:11-12) He considered the things in this life as garbage, compared to knowing Christ. (Philippians 3:7-11) Garbage, really? 

In truth, he is so right. Anything we gain or lose in this world is temporary as Paul explains, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18) He was beaten and left for dead, thrown into prison, shipwrecked, stranded at sea, and more. (2 Corinthians 11:16-33) 

Through every trial, Paul’s life was surrendered to God. 
Through my own suffering, I am learning to surrender my life to God, too. 

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life?” (Mark 8:34-37) 

As I learn to manage chronic pain, I have found living for Him is far better than anything I’ve ever had here on earth. 
I thank Him for 50 years of healthy life. 
Time to love and raise four beautiful children. 
Joy in ministry beyond what I had hoped. 

Even in my suffering, He has drawn me to Himself like never before. I “didn’t have time” to cling to Him before. But now… I have all the time in the world. I spend hours every day studying His Word and getting to know Him more. 

The perspective I’ve gained is unexplainable, but in return for the loss of my “good life,” He has given me a New Life. A life in which He and I walk hand-in-hand together. A life in which I am writing, blogging, and encouraging others. Honestly, I don’t want my old life back. 

My goal is to finish the race of following Jesus with my life very well; to hear those wonderful words at the finish line, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23) I know God is directing me to new things. He is in control. I am His. Just as Paul said in Acts 20:24, “I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.”

In the midst of his suffering, Paul displayed conviction of spirit 
courage of heart 
composure of mind 
and constancy of purpose.  

Pastor and ministry leader, James Ryle, encourages us with these words regarding Paul’s embrace of a surrendered life, “My friend, in what ways can you benefit by Paul’s example as you face your own challenges in today’s world? How might his words find a place in your life, and embolden you to rise in a new resolve of faithfulness — even if it’s against all odds?”
(The Four Marks of the Immovable Man, Rylisms Devotion)

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Digging Deeper

The 21st century is full of opportunities to prosper on our own merit. While we might earn wealth, higher social standing, or even good works for God's Kingdom, none of this will pay off the debt of sin we owe to a Holy God.

Christ, the Only One Worthy to pay the punishment for our sin, died to give us eternal life. In Him, we find access to rich communion with the God of the Universe!
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Posted in: Alive, Anchored, Hope, Longing, Pain Tagged: hope, pain, satisfied, surrender

Surrender Day 14 The One We Seek: Digging Deeper

February 9, 2023 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Surrender Day 14 The One We Seek: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

February 9, 2023

Christ,Discipleship,Faith,Follow,Sacrifice

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "The One We Seek"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 14:25-27

25 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) To whom was Jesus speaking in verse 25, and why is this important to understand?

Verse 25 tells us “great crowds were traveling with Him.” It is important to note that Jesus’ teachings were not only directed to His disciples in this scene, but widely to the large crowds who were following along with Jesus. Crowds were often found “with” Jesus, even pressing in on Him at times. (Matthew 4:23-25)

People followed Jesus for all sorts of reasons: His miracles (John 2:23-25), because they were hungry (John 6:24-27), to accuse Him (John 6:61-64), and some because they genuinely believed Him (Luke 5:27-32).

As Jesus made His way to Jerusalem He understood His brutal death lay ahead. (Luke 13:33) His mission of rescuing those who would trust Him, carried a heavy price, His life. He wanted those around Him to understand there would also be a cost to believing Him and following Him, surrender. Surrender required submission to His teachings regarding the only way to God being through Himself.

Though He knew many would reject Him, Jesus responded with compassion by weeping over those lost in their sin. (Luke 19:41) He loved the crowds because He loves the individual people who create the crowds. He always saw them through His merciful eyes, and He always desired to draw them into a relationship with Himself. (Luke 13:34)

The Everyday Application

1) To whom was Jesus speaking in verse 25, and why is this important to understand?

The crowds following Jesus were much like fan-seeking crowds today. Some may read the Bible or attend religious meetings as skeptics, waiting to pounce on a perceived contradiction. Frankly, the prospect of them genuinely believing Jesus is quite low without a heart shift to begin authentically exploring the claims of Christ.

Other explorers of the Christian faith are less skeptical, seeing themselves as curious onlookers. They aren’t sure Jesus actually is who He says He is, but they sure would love to receive God’s blessings as long as it doesn’t cost them anything.

They listen closely for the ‘requirements’ Jesus presents. They watch even more closely those who have chosen to follow and wonder: Is this real? Are these people genuinely believing in Jesus? Is it worth it?

Eventually, many of these find themselves unwilling to make such a long-term pledge to Jesus Himself. Some encounter hypocrites who deter them or witness the hardship involved for those who truly follow Jesus. For many, the passages of Scripture announcing sacrifice and obedience are repulsive.

Though they may acknowledge a deep longing to be satisfied, they lack faith to see Jesus as the Supreme Satisfier. They miss the Counselor and Comforter found in the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promises for all who genuinely trust Him. This Helper indwells and empowers the believer to follow Him into the great unknown of the surrendered life! (John 16:7-13)

Sweet Sister, joining Jesus is a surrender to His purposes while knowing He is with us. It’s a step toward His wisdom and away from selfish desires. For many in the crowd, this call to relinquish control is a stumbling block, a hurdle, even foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24) In Proverbs 8:32-36 we see the beauty of answering the call to wisdom; it’s Jesus Himself.

The Original Intent

2) Most believe the Bible tells us to love everyone, including our enemies. So how are we to understand Jesus’ instruction in verse 26  to “hate” our families?

Making sense of whole passages is as valuable as translating specific words and interpreting sentences and verses. Like expanding concentric circles, we begin understanding the Bible best when first study the context of words within sentences within passages within books within the testaments within the whole Bible. (Got Questions)

This pattern of discovery is effective because the Bible is more than an instructional history book. The unique priority of the Bible is its one message about Christ which is woven through every page. Whatever the right answer is regarding our question around Jesus’ words to hating our families, we must never misinterpret who Jesus IS. Herein lies the crux of discovering the original intent of any passage.

Since Jesus is the One who perfectly fulfilled the greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:28-34), most certainly Jesus is not commanding us to do something out of harmony with what God has revealed. He is the One who perfectly fulfilled (Romans 5:6-8) the call to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).

Therefore, we must dig deeper to define and interpret “hate”. Since Jesus affirms the 5th commandment which instructs us to honor parents (Mark 7:9-13), He is not commanding something different to the crowd (Luke 14:25). What He is describing is the cost of ultimate allegiance to Him.

The depth of allegiance to Jesus, when placed side by side with other loyalties, will look like the stark difference between love and hate. The New Living Translation of the Bible (NLT) offers a helpful interpretation. “If you want to be My disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life.”

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the contrast between “love” and “hatred” was used to communicate preference or favorites. Exploring the translations of Deuteronomy 21:15-17 will shed some light on Jesus’ meaning in this passage. (blueletterbible.org)

The Everyday Application

2) Most believe the Bible tells us to love everyone, including our enemies. So how are we to understand Jesus’ instruction in verse 26  to “hate” our families?

Oh friend, do you cringe at this verse? It sounds so unlike the Jesus we thought we knew or that we’ve come to know! But we must not give in to doubt or despair, thinking He must not be as good as we thought He was.

While it’s true that following Jesus is a remarkable commitment, He has promised to provide for us everything we need to make the sacrifices He calls us to make. And what we need most is His grace. Grace to understand that Jesus is not asking the crowd to prove their love for Him by hating their families.

We know this because, as a God of love, His very reason for coming was to teach us how to receive and give love. (1 John 3:15-18, 1 John 4:7-11) Jesus calls us to is a love for Him that is so deep, all other loves pale in comparison.

The more I study this passage, the more I realize this wasn’t an indictment on those who loved their families. It was a shocking statement to those who loved themselves most!

In the previous verses, Jesus had shared a parable about people who tried to justify themselves. (Luke 14:16-23) In pursuit of their own plan, they missed the banquet and gave poor excuses. To follow Jesus is to hold very loosely the people we love and the plans we make, so we can run quickly to Him when He calls us!

The Original Intent

3) How does someone “bear his own cross”?  (verse 27)

To understand this phrase, we must learn the meaning of the cross in the time and culture of Jesus. Remember, He had not yet died on the cross. To the first hearers, the cross only represented a gruesome symbol of death.

Jesus’ audience knew all too well how the Romans reserved crucifixion for the worst criminals. It was a form of humiliation that led to a long and excruciating death. Here was Jesus telling them the cost of following Him equated this kind of suffering! It seems clear that Jesus intentionally uses a horrific symbol to get the crowd’s attention.

Following Jesus could cost them their very lives. (verse 26) Shocking words coming from someone who constantly drew a crowd. Clearly, these are not the words of a leader desiring to gain popularity.

Because Jesus was always full of grace AND truth (John 1:14), He simply couldn’t soften a hard truth just to keep followers. When Jesus’ ministry went from feeding crowds (John 6:5-14) to talking about eating His flesh (John 6:53-58), He lost some people! I guess so, right?! This kind of teaching was too much for many who had followed Him for miracles and blessings. (John 6:66)

His following-fan-crowds eventually turned into crowds of angry people calling for His death. Some disciples became afraid as they began realizing Jesus’ arrest and death could bring suffering for them. (Matthew 26:47-55) One of His closest friends denied him (Luke 22:54-61) and several went into hiding (John 20:19). The calling to become a follower of Jesus was one that should be considered only after becoming willing to accept a possible reality of losing your own life – the cross kind of death. (Pause VI)

The Everyday Application

3) How does someone “bear his own cross”?  (verse 27)

A cross symbol has lost much of its original meaning in today’s culture, as it has become many things—from a religious icon to a fashion element. Even though for many it is a symbol of faith, particularly the Christian faith, it still doesn’t always reflect the horrors of crucifixion and what a cross meant for those who watched loved ones die there.

To understand the teaching of Jesus, especially these difficult verses, we must be willing to search the Scripture and find Him. Friend, I am sure of one thing: Jesus wasn’t calling us to walk around with a self-pitying demeanor while bemoaning our hard life.

Discomfort, trial, and suffering color every human experience in one degree or another, but the distinction here is that Jesus is calling His genuine followers to a death.

Death of our hopes and dreams and possessions and people; yes, even our own lives if necessary. These are all to be held with open hands accompanied by a humble prayer of trusting surrender.

Jesus’ promise isn’t a guarantee of ease; it’s much better than that. Sister, the promise is Jesus’ presence WITH us! (Matthew 28:18-20) Yes, following Jesus may cost us, but not following Him costs us so much more.

In all my sorrows, Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
In every victory, Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
Than any comfort, Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
More than all riches, Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
Our souls declaring: Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
Our song eternal: Jesus is better!! Make my heart believe!
Jesus Is Better by Austin Stone Worship

Tags :
cost,death,gain,reward,sacrifice,surrender
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Journey Study

We are sinners who have not remained faithful to God, yet His love for us remains steadfast. While Gomer’s freedom cost Hosea a monetary sacrifice, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice to restore our spiritual freedom and restore our relationship with God. (Romans 8:1-4)
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Posted in: Christ, Discipleship, Faith, Follow, Sacrifice Tagged: cost, death, gain, reward, sacrifice, surrender

Surrender Day 13 The One We Seek

February 8, 2023 by Amy Krigbaum Leave a Comment

Surrender Day 13 The One We Seek

Amy Krigbaum

February 8, 2023

Covenant,Groom,Lonely,Longing,Marriage,Relationship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Hosea 1
Hosea 3
Luke 5:17-28
Lamentation 3:22-23

The struggles and joys of relationships are real.   

Some people love living close to their extended family and thrive on gathering with friends and family in their homes.  

Similarly, for some people, relationships seem to come easily. Whether through their church, friends, or marriage and children, they are surrounded by those who truly love and care about them. They thrive in the world of relationships.  

But for many others, relationships aren’t so simple. Some have deep hurt within their family, or within work or church relationships. Others find constant pain in their covenant relationship of marriage, due to cheating, harsh words, or addiction.  

Any relationship can thrive; any relationship can fall.  

All relationships require sacrifice and surrender. 

All of us were created with a desire for deep relationships. As women, we like “ladies’ night” and coffee time, and chatting about home and work with our friends. We long for security in our relationships, and the assurance we are wanted, are desirable, and needed. These desires aren’t new; they’ve been woven into us by our Creator since the beginning.

Hosea was a prophet of the Old Testament. He was chosen by God to speak to the northern kingdom of Israel regarding their iniquity during the reign of several kings. (Hosea 1:1-2) When we meet Hosea, God chooses a wife for him…but not the kind we would expect.  

God commands Hosea to marry Gomer, a prostitute.
Impure, unclean, likely to be unfaithful, yet this is who God ordains Hoesa to marry?!  

Why would God want him to marry someone HE knew did not love and would not remain faithful to Hosea? In Hosea 3, God commanded Hosea to rescue Gomer, for she had returned to prostitution. Hosea didn’t just offer her a lift home, but rather, bought her freedom and restored their covenant relationship. 

In this marriage, Hosea represents God.  

Gomer represents Israel.  

To be blunt, she also pictures us!  

We are sinners who have not remained faithful to God, yet His love for us remains steadfast. While Gomer’s freedom cost Hosea a monetary sacrifice, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice to restore our spiritual freedom and restore our relationship with God. (Romans 8:1-4)

Even though this story took place thousands of years ago, I’m sure Gomer shared our desire to love and be loved in a satisfying relationship. Perhaps she just couldn’t believe in Hosea’s love, so she sought it elsewhere. Do we find ourselves reflected in her choice? It’s hard to believe the perfect God of the universe, the Creator of all things, would love us unconditionally, so we search for love elsewhere.

I imagine Hosea also had his own dreams. Did he desire a pure relationship with his wife? Did he desire a faithful wife? One who followed the Lord? But, God had other plans . . . plans inviting Hosea’s surrender.

Sometimes, God has other plans when it comes to our relationships, too. We may wonder why God is directing our paths through difficult relationships.  

I have wrestled with many relationships over the course of my life. Starting in about 5th grade, I became stuck in a pattern of one-year-long friendships. Every fall, it seemed like EVERYONE else continued building their friendships while I started over. I was shy, and it was hard.

I made some friends early in college, but by the end of my sophomore year, a “friend” betrayed me, lied about me, and turned others against me. Thankfully, I had a few friends who saw right through the mess and helped me along the way. How hard it was for me to trust and start over again!

I always desired a relationship that would bring marriage and family. Burdened by the hurt I carried and the loss of trust from past experiences, I longed for a relationship that did not materialize. 

“Maybe God has called you to be single,” a friend would suggest.

Or after a breakup, “It’s better to be single than married to the wrong person.”  

While usually well-intentioned, such comments still landed harshly.

What was I doing wrong? What was wrong with me? Why did so many people in my life come and go? Why was I constantly walking the lonely road? 

Eventually, I felt God inviting me to surrender, just as He had Hosea. 

He invited me to surrender my plans, my life, my relationships, anything that took priority over Him. Over and over, I had to choose God’s perfect way over my own. In Luke 14:25-27, Jesus explains how we are meant to love Him more than ANY relationship we may have. He is the One we seek. 

I can’t say I understand all brokenness, or why certain relationships fall apart, but I can say, God is faithful. In the midst of multiple chapters immersed in pain and suffering and grief, Lamentations 3:22-23 states,

“Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish,
For His mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness!” 

I look back after getting married at 42 and see how God was working all along. As hard as it was to surrender and live with the loneliness, it was worth the wait.  

Relationships are hard. But our relationship with the Lord is constant, persistently unending. We can hold on to Him in the ups and downs of our human relationships for He alone is faithful and steady. 

“Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her vineyards back to her and make the Valley of Achor [Trouble] into a gateway of hope [. . .]
I will take you to be [mine] forever.
I will take you to be [mine] in righteousness, 
justice, love, and compassion.”
(Hosea 2:14-15, 19)

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dreams,prostitute,Sin,surrender
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Digging Deeper

Friend, I am sure of one thing: Jesus wasn’t calling us to walk around with a self-pitying demeanor while bemoaning our hard life. Discomforts through trials or suffering follow all humans in one way or another. What Jesus is calling us to is a death. A death of our hopes and dreams and possessions and people. And yes, even our own lives if necessary. These are all to be held in our opened hands accompanied by a humble prayer of surrender. And the promise He gives isn’t a guarantee of ease. It’s much better than that. Sister, the promise is Jesus’ presence WITH us!
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Posted in: Covenant, Groom, Lonely, Longing, Marriage, Relationship Tagged: dreams, prostitute, Sin, surrender

Surrender Day 12 Our All For His Use: Digging Deeper

February 7, 2023 by Stacy Winkler 1 Comment

Surrender Day 12 Our All For His Use: Digging Deeper

Stacy Winkler

February 7, 2023

Courage,Digging Deeper,Faith,Freedom,Hope

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Our All For His Use"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:8-24

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”

13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’”

15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. 16 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Elijah.

17 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do you have against me? Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death?”

19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!”

22 So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived. 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who was Elijah and how did he end up in Zarephath asking a widow for the last of her food? (verses 8-11)

During this time, Israel was a divided kingdom between north (Israel) and south (Judah). The northern kingdom was ruled by the wicked, idol-worshipper, King Ahab, and his notoriously evil wife, Queen Jezebel. (1 Kings 16:29-33, 1 Kings 17:1) God sent the prophet Elijah to speak judgment over Israel in the form of a drought for her persistent rebellion against God as a people. They eagerly followed the vile example of idol worship set by Ahab and Jezebel.

After he prophesied the drought, Elijah traveled to Zarephath in obedience to God and in spite of the danger. Why was it dangerous? Zarephath was a town belonging to Sidon, Jezebel’s homeland where her father was king. (verses 8-10) In Zarephath he found a widow whom God had commanded to provide for him. ( verse 8) However, the drought Elijah had prophesied also affected Sidon. And, with drought, came famine.

Although the text clearly states in verse 9 that God had commanded the widow to provide for Elijah, when he asked for food, she hesitated. (verse 12) Give the last of her food to a foreign man rather than her only son? Elijah’s God had told her to provide, but could she really trust him? Why should she? Yet, she did the unimaginable; she agreed to trust the foreign prophet’s God, and made a small loaf of bread for him with all the food she had instead of feeding her son. (verse 15)

She surrendered what little she had in obedience to the God of Israel. With stunning amazement, we watch the Lord accept her surrender and replace her hopelessness with hope. The flour jar and the oil jug never ran empty during the famine. (verse 16) Elijah ate. Her son ate. She ate. And they lived.

The Everyday Application

1) Who was Elijah and how did he end up in Zarephath asking a widow for the last of her food? (verses 8-11)

We all long for hope. Even in the darkest of days, hope for a better future motivates us to continue. How much more so for the one who has trusted Christ with their soul! Our hope is not merely wishful thinking but absolutely certain as we look forward to the eternal perfect life with God!

What can we learn from this destitute, defeated widow whose future was hopeless? In spite of her efforts, she knew death was near for her and her son. Elijah’s response is comforting, “Don’t be afraid… for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’” (verses 13-14)

Were these hollow words to her, or did they remind her of the command God had already given? In faith, she surrendered what little she had to Elijah’s God and God provided hope, not as part of some mystical deal, but as a deliberate act to display His providence.

God calls us to join the widow in surrendering our fear and what little we have so He can demonstrate His goodness and embrace us with Hope. We cannot conjure up Hope on our own. We cannot control Hope by pretending we control our situation.

The Author of Hope longs to fill us with joy and peace as we trust Him so we may overflow with hope for others to see. (Romans 15:13) We must surrender our control to the only One who truly has control, even in the darkest of times. He alone gives us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. (1 Peter 1:4) Who is our Living Hope? Jesus Himself.

The Original Intent

2) Why did God allow the widow’s son to die? (verses 17-24)

The Gentile widow recognized her sin before the Almighty God of Israel. She believed the payment for her sin was the life of her only son. (verses 17-18) Once again she was filled with hopelessness. How could God allow her son to live through the famine only to die because of her sin?

Not only was the grief overwhelming to her mama’s heart, but, as a Gentile widow, she had little hope of survival without a son to provide for her, leaving her with only a few undesirable options (like selling her body or becoming homeless). Elijah took the boy, prayed, stretched over him three times, and prayed again. “So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.” (verses 19-22) He presented the son to his mother and she said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.” (verses 23-24)

Through the death of her son, God called this Gentile woman to surrender herself as He revealed His sovereignty, love, and care for her. As God revealed Himself, she responded with surrendered belief in the God of Israel! God also desires to reveal His sovereignty, care, and love to us. (1 Timothy 1:17, Romans 11:33-36, John 3:16-17)

Where have you seen evidence of these around you? Have you believed Him at His Word that your sin payment was made at the cross of Jesus on your behalf? He has offered to cleanse us from our sins so we can stand before our glorious God with utmost hope and the fullness of life. (Ephesians 1:7-9) Whether it’s your soul, relationships, finances, or fears, the call is the same, surrender to Him and believe!

The Everyday Application

2) Why did God allow the widow’s son to die? (verses 17-24)

Honestly, while I can speculate why the Lord allowed her son to die, I don’t know. Perhaps we can glean some understanding from a story in the New Testament as Scripture itself helps us understand Scripture. Do you recall when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? (John 11:1-45)

In her book, Jesus Through the Eyes of Women, Rebecca McLaughlin writes of this event. Lazarus was sick and his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent Jesus a message saying “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (John 11:3) Then John tells us, “Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” (John 11:5-7). Wait. What? Jesus loved them, Lazarus was seriously ill, and Jesus didn’t immediately pack His things and go to Bethany?

John reveals why Jesus waited. First, Lazarus’ death and ultimate resurrection would bring glory to God. (John 11:4) Second, Jesus waited so His disciples would believe. (John 11:15) Rebecca McLaughlin writes, “He (Jesus) stayed away because He did care.

The best thing he could give these siblings, whom he profoundly loved, was not immediate answer to their prayers, but revelation of Himself.” God wants to reveal His glory and power so we can confidently know the words from His mouth are true. (verse 24) This is why Paul wrote that he “consider(ed) everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:8) Reach out and “touch the hem of His robe” for ultimate healing and peace! (Luke 8:43-48)

He wants to reveal Himself to us through prayer and the study of His word. Surrendering our lives daily to God is not natural for us, but as we know Him more, we understand that surrender to the sovereign King is the only pathway to gaining our Living Hope. 

The Original Intent

3) What does this passage tell us about God? (verses 8-10, 15-16)

In this Old Testament narrative we watch God daily provide the widow with enough ingredients to bake bread for Elijah, her son, and herself, saving them all from starvation. (verses 15-16) When we look closely at the widow, understanding her background and culture, we see more clearly the God who loved her and us. She was an unbelieving Gentile woman, probably descended from the wicked line of Cain. (verses 8-10) She was just one widow among many in her village, yet God saw her and knew her when she didn’t know Him. God saw her hopelessness, and through His unending grace and sovereignty, He miraculously provided daily food for the length of the drought and famine.

Deeper still, through the resurrection of her dead son, this foreign widow came to believe through genuine faith in the God of Israel. (verses 22-24) God sees. God knows. God provides. God desires for you to know him more. As you grow in your knowledge of him and his truths, you will also grow in your desire to surrender yourself, believe in Him, and trust in Him.

The Everyday Application

3) What does this passage tell us about God? (verses 8-10, 15-16)

Both of these miracles point directly to Jesus. First, we see God’s provision in the bread. The widow baked bread so they could sustain their physical bodies. (verses 15-17) Jesus said that whoever would come to Him and believe in Him would never hunger or thirst again. (John 6:35)

Physically? No. However, when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are spiritually filled and satisfied through the Holy Spirit in a deeper way than food could ever fill us. (John 14:15-17) This does not guarantee an easy life, but the Holy Spirit within us brings us peace in the midst of suffering. (1 Peter 1:3-9, 1 Peter 4:12-14) Jesus is the better bread because He is the living bread who sustains us eternally.

The power God demonstrated through Jesus’ resurrection provides us with all we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) Sit and eat. Meditate on who He is. Enjoy His fullness and provision. As for the second miracle, Elijah prayed, bowed over the son three times, and prayed again, bringing the son back to life with God’s power. (verses 20-22)

However, at Lazarus’ resurrection Jesus merely spoke and Lazarus was restored to life. (John 11:41-44) For Lazarus and the boy, their resurrections were temporary; they each experienced death as we all will. Only Jesus’ resurrection of His own dead body by the power of God is strong enough to offer eternal life to all who would receive Him as their personal resurrection and life. (John 1:12-13, John 11:25-26)

Jesus is the better Elijah. If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you, too, have been raised from your spiritual death into life. If not, surrender your heart and your life to Him. Allow him to raise your heart from the dead and fill you with Living Bread. Study His Word, pray, and you, too, will find hope in your surrendering.

Tags :
death,hope,peace,surrender
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Surrender Day 11 Journey Study

Surrendering our will to His will, knowing He is sovereign over all, and His ways are higher is how we begin to exchange our frail, limited self-sufficiency for His unending sufficiency. When we reach the end of ourselves, we find He is more than enough. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

When we were enslaved to our sins, He came to bring us spiritual freedom and new life. (Romans 6:6-11) Through His death and resurrection, He has gifted to us what we could never supply for ourselves: redemption.
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Posted in: Courage, Digging Deeper, Faith, Freedom, Hope Tagged: death, hope, peace, surrender

Surrender Day 11 Our All For His Use

February 6, 2023 by Brenda Earley Leave a Comment

Surrender Day 11 Our All For His Use

Brenda Earley

February 6, 2023

Broken,Confession,Courage,Faith,Forgiven,Freedom

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:8-24
Luke 5:1-11
Luke 18:24-30
Acts 4:32-37
Luke 9:23-27

As I stood by our church pew singing the old hymn, “I Surrender All,” little did I comprehend true surrender, nor the impact of this word on my life in years to come. 

Surrender. 

To surrender means to abandon, to yield, to give power, control or possession to another.  

This one word makes me speechless. 

Surrender is a hard word to say, and an even tougher concept to live out; it’s a complex and difficult action in real life. 

Let’s go a bit further and define self-sufficiency. The dictionary puts it this way: enough, adequacy, supply, and plenty, but I believe this definition drives home the point of biblical surrender. Consider that Self Sufficiency is the ability to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid. 

Growing up, I understood what it meant to “honor your father and mother.” (Exodus 20:12) It wasn’t until I was going off to college that I strayed from this commandment. Thinking I knew better, and feeling the emotional roller coaster of love, I turned my back on stability and fled into a whirlwind of disobedience. “He loves me, he loves me not” was whistling in my ear. Oh, I thought a boy loved me, so I jumped on and went round and round, up and down for many years.

I wanted to be self-sufficient, able to maintain my life without anyone’s help. Does this seem prideful? Yes, in retrospect, I understand not allowing our Provider, Sustainer, Supplier, and Satisfier into my life was sin. How I needed His ultimate sustaining power at this crossroad! 

The early years of my first marriage were a roller coaster. I never knew what to expect. As I stepped inside my front door, I wondered if I should walk on eggshells or be myself? Would I march into condemnation, ridicule, and name-calling or would it seem to be a bed of roses? More often than not, it would be condemnation. 

Until I realized I needed to accept help, pray for God’s strength to allow help, and then fully surrender to His will and plan for my life, I would continue to struggle on my own. (1 Corinthians 1:8) He sent “reminders” to me through others, through His Word, and by seeing His constant hand in my life. Over time, He truly became my Sustainer, my Supplier, and my Satisfier just like the widow, the disciples, and Joseph (Barnabas). 

Sustainer 1 Kings 17:8-24
A little flour, a little oil
Mixed together 
For our last supper.
A recommendation 
To bake the leaven
To sustain our lives,
Unto Heaven.

Supplier Luke 5:1-11; Luke 18:24-30
The fishermen left
To wash their nets.
Their boats, empty.
For upon their return,
The Master spoke.
Standing on the boat
While others heard:
“Throw aside your nets
To catch even more”
How truly absurd!
The disciple did say
We’ve been fishing all night, and all day.
But what a huge haul
No more fishing drought.
What’s impossible for us,
Is Possible with God.

Satisfier Acts 4:36-37
Not much to mention
But a parcel of land
Owned by a Levite
And at his own hand, 
He laid it all down
Only to sacrifice
His life, not his own! 

Surrendering our will to His will, knowing He is sovereign over all, and His ways are higher is how we begin to exchange our frail, limited self-sufficiency for His unending sufficiency. When we reach the end of ourselves, we find He is more than enough. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10) 

When we were enslaved to our sins, He came to bring us spiritual freedom and new life. (Romans 6:6-11) Through His death and resurrection, He has gifted to us what we could never supply for ourselves: redemption. 

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked [. . .] But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ[.]” (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5)

In our own daily lives, He longs to be our Sustainer, Supplier, Satisfier; He can make something beautiful in His own time, for He makes all things new. (Revelation 21:5)

Sweet friends, He is making something beautiful in you! If you do not believe me, maybe these lyrics will help in understanding His love towards us. 

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life.
If there ever were dreams 
That were lofty and noble
They were my dreams at the start
And hope for life’s best were the hopes
That I harbor down deep in my heart
But my dreams turned to ashes
And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss
So I wrapped it all in the rags of life
And laid it at the cross.(Something Beautiful Gaither Vocal Band, Bill Gaither Trio)

I love this description of Jesus’ work for us! 

Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we didn’t have to, He went to the cross to show us HOW.

“If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself daily, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Let us surrender our self-sufficiency, take up our cross, and follow Him!

Tags :
faithful,mercy,surrender,sustain
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Digging Deeper

She surrendered what little she had in obedience to the God of Israel. With stunning amazement, we watch the Lord accept her surrender and replace her hopelessness with hope. The flour jar and the oil jug never ran empty during the famine. (verse 16) Elijah ate. Her son ate. She ate. And they lived.
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Jan 23 - Feb 10, 2023 - Journey Theme #113

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Posted in: Broken, Confession, Courage, Faith, Forgiven, Freedom Tagged: faithful, mercy, surrender, sustain

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 2

February 4, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 2

Rebecca Adams

February 4, 2023

Discipline,Equipped,Faithfulness,Fellowship,Giving,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 16:7-8, 11

I will bless the Lord who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me. 8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (…) 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; at Your right hand are eternal pleasures.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

I bless You, Lord God, for counseling me and holding out wisdom to me, whether day or night. Your wisdom is constantly available to me, not even for a moment am I left abandoned without access to You and the wisdom of Your ways. Lord, teach me to surrender my ways to Yours. May I find Your ways to be sweeter, more abundant, and flooded with the richest of joys than anything else I could imagine.

Every day teach me to become more aware of the wickedness of my ways and create an ever-increasing hunger to long for Your paths of righteousness. I long to honor You with my days, my nights, my words, motivations, and actions. I pray, Lord Jesus, that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart would be pleasing to You. (Psalm 19:14) May I cast out all other idols and seek to love you first and most and best for all my days, Lord Jesus Christ.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

“What if God sends me to Africa?” “What if God tells me to sell my car for a cheaper one?” “What if God wants me to give up my extra spending?”

If you haven’t asked these specific questions, you’ve likely wondered something similar. We understand that calling Christ “LORD” of our lives involves total surrender. Surrender is painful.

I’ve wrestled with these questions many times in my own faith walk, and I can confidently attest it is significantly more painful to resist the Lord than to lay ourselves down at the feet of His eternal goodness and grace. When we consider the cost of surrender, we easily forget the Lord to whom we surrender is gentle, tender, kind-hearted, and good. Christ does not call us to surrender our things, our time, and the treasures we love because He is greedy, rather, His call is motivated by His vast love.

He knows that until we tear down the idols we cherish, we cannot fully embrace Him who is infinitely greater than all other “lesser loves”. What is that “thing” the Lord keeps whispering to you to surrender? Choose today to give it over to His hands of Love!

JOURNAL TWO

On Wednesday, Deborah wrote, “The perverse dark world, blinded by its sin, shrieks at the light and beauty of Jesus.” Consider those you know who aren’t Christ-followers; how have you seen this truth played out? Where do they pull back harshly from the thought of Christ’s light exposing them?

Even harder, where do you feel your own soul run shrieking, begging to stay hidden in the dark so you don’t need to be conformed, often painfully, to the image of Jesus?

Sisters, I plead with you and with my own soul, these are the places we must bring to the Lord Jesus. The more we pull them back, the more painful it will be when the Lord has His way with us. His love for us is too vast to permit us to remain chained to our filthy patterns of self-love, self-protection, and sin.

Have you considered how rejecting full surrender to Christ is really a rejection of perfect love played out in your life? Spend time this weekend thinking about why you would rather choose to hide in the dark than bring your everything into the light of Christ, then talk with Him about it!

JOURNAL THREE

I have friends, and even more grievous to me, precious family members, who look at my consistent decisions to sacrifice worldly pleasures and they are repulsed. “Why don’t you like that tv show?” “Why don’t you enjoy this music?” “You don’t have a life-goal of a bigger house?”

Sara and Rachel’s words yesterday remind me of 1 Peter 4:4, “They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you.” When we choose Christ and choose to regularly surrender to His work in our lives, He changes our appetite toward worldly things; we begin to crave the holy instead of that which dishonors the Lord Jesus.

Take a few minutes and consider what has changed about your “appetite” in the last 12-18 months. How has Christ shaped your “hunger” to long for Him, His word, and His ways more than your own? Celebrate what He has done in you and ask Him to keep making you new! Then spend time praying for your friends and family who haven’t yet experienced the sweetness of Christ as their Lord. Ask Him to begin to change their heart-appetite toward the things of God that will last for eternity.
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Surrender Day 8 Image Unfiltered

February 1, 2023 by Deborah Rutherford 3 Comments

Surrender Day 8 Image Unfiltered

Deborah Rutherford

February 1, 2023

Accepted,Confession,Constant,Strength

Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 1:1-8
2 Samuel 6:12-23
John 15:18-21
John 7:18-26
Genesis 1:26-27 

Dazzling celebrities and influencers dance on television, magazine covers, and social media scrolls. They portray worldly perfection with perfect meal plans, body weights, and even “perfect Christians” with flawless pictures from perfect angles, smiles, and filters. 

The world’s lens focuses on external attributes to create desired impressions. Western cultures promote the self-made and superficially flawless person. Although these images may look pretty and offer popular things to attain, buy, or be, they are counterfeits of God’s beauty. 

When Jesus came into the world, He brought His light to shine in the darkness. (John 1:1-5) He didn’t need to “create a persona” because He is the image of the living invisible God. (Colossians 1:15-16) Real beauty. The perverse dark world, blinded by its sin, shrieks at the light and beauty of Jesus.

We are pressured to conform to a worldly concept of shiny perfection, with all of our messy parts hidden.

As Christ-followers, we embrace God as Creator (Genesis 1:26-27), believing we are made to be set apart as a chosen, holy priesthood. (1 Peter 2:9) But how often do we feel ourselves conforming to the world’s image? 

Does our image conflict with who we are as people of God, remade to reflect Him? 

I’ve struggled with the impossibility of living up to social media. In high school, I emulated the models in the magazines and fell into an eating disorder. As a writer, I have been tempted to write for likes and followers, rather than for the One who called me to compose.

Did Jesus worry about His platform? 

Was He concerned with what the people, Pharisees, and Romans would think of Him? 

To fit in, did He water down His message?

No. Jesus was counter-culture. He eschewed building a platform, instead building a kingdom. He turned the world upside down with a King who serves and a God who had no place to lay His head, and a Holy One who washes feet. 

By surrendering our image to God, we release the world’s conception of an image, instead becoming His image-bearers.

As we bear His image, we too become counter-cultural as we live Spirit-empowered, holy, obedient lives.

Similarly, consider other figures from Scripture. 

Did John the Baptist, a prophet who declared the coming Messiah, have a nice suit, quaffed hair, and manicured nails? No, he came in a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1:1-8)

What of King David, one of the best-known kings of Israel, stripped down to his ephod, enthusiastically dancing as the Israelites brought the ark into Jerusalem. His wife, Mical, called him vulgar. But David danced before the Lord because it was, and is always, about the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:12-23)

Many despised Jesus, John the Baptist, and David. Many will despise us as Christians. 

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)

God blesses us for obeying His call to surrender our images and bear His.

Despite their humble beginnings and personas far from worldly acclaim, God used both David and John in significant, radical ways.

King David ruled a mighty kingdom and was a forebearer to Jesus. John the Baptist came ahead of the Messiah. Much like the groom’s friend who stands by and rejoices at the groom’s voice, John knew Jesus must increase, while he must decrease. (John 3:27-30) We, too, must decrease so Christ can increase, for our joy is complete in Jesus.

Just as the Lord was a faithful Sustainer, Supplier, and Satisfier to David and John the Baptist, so He is to us. When we surrender to Him, we no longer act on our own, seeking our glory, instead we seek the glory of the true and righteous God, and this brings us rich delight! (John 7:18-26)

God calls us to be His messengers,
proclaiming the good news of
God’s love and sacrifice
to bring about our redemption.
(John 3:16-17)
For, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news[!]” (Romans 10:15)

God holds His faithful with what the Bible calls “hesed” love, which is defined as an eternal, reliable, faithful, covenant love. As we turn our platforms, images, and life over to God, He proceeds with His perfect plan for our lives.

It took years to love my body and who I was as a child of God. Thankfully, I discovered a vital Christian principle: God is beautiful, and we are made in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27) We no longer need to match up to what society calls “pretty” when we learn how precious we are to the Holy Father.

By surrendering my image to Christ, my life shifted from a rollercoaster of never matching up, full of anxiety and striving, to focusing on Jesus and embracing His peace and joy. 

As a writer, I write for Him first. I ask if my writing and social media align with God’s image. My hair, makeup, weight, or home need not be perfect because God is my perfect.
 
Sisters, will you join me in asking God to show us where we need to surrender our worldly images to Him? For with God’s light in our image, we shine brighter than any shiny, perfected world picture.

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Surrender Day 9
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To everyone else, the stones were just a heap of rubble, but to the people of God, they were a constant reminder that Yahweh was a personal and powerful God, working wonders on behalf of His people. (gotquestions.org) Believers in Jesus are baptized to make a public statement of our faith and a reminder for us that we have covenanted to serve the Lord. Do you remember that day?
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Posted in: Accepted, Confession, Constant, Strength Tagged: acceptance, grace, image, surrender, Truth, unfiltered
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