[Faith-talk] FW: [BlindMen4Christ] A Brighter Tomorrow

[WESLEY BURDEN]

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmen4christ-bounces at morales-family.lljfm.net
[mailto:blindmen4christ-bounces at morales-family.lljfm.net] On Behalf Of Stu
(by way of Curtis Delzer <curtis at calweb.com>)
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:09 PM
To: Blind men for Christ
Subject: [BlindMen4Christ] A Brighter Tomorrow

LET SURRENDER BE ACCOMPANIED BY OBEDIENCE

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God's will is ... his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
Romans
12:2

We are challenged in our spiritual journey to surrender unto the Lordship of
Christ. We presume this is what takes place when we accept Jesus Christ as
our Savior. We are made "new creatures in Christ" and indwelt by the Holy
Spirit, but this is the start of our journey. Many erroneously think, that
having received Christ as their Savior, they no longer need to seek Him. 
Their passive spiritual condition has no growth in grace.

"Surrender" is a step of faith, when we enthrone Christ as the Lord of our
life. We recognize our inability "to be or to do" anything glorifying to the
Lord. HE must live His Life through us, if we are to be effective, fruitful,
and impact others with His Love. This does not come automatically in a ?neat
package' with our salvation. The "surrender" of our heart must accompany
"obedience" in our life.

The old "Adamic nature," is motivated by SELF ... selfish interests,
concerns, gratification, and other self-directed activity and thought ...
which still resides within us, and seeks to appeal to our fleshly desires.
This must be mortified, put to death, as Paul exhorts to every Believer. 
Christ must be
the Priority of our life and supersede all other concerns, when we turn over
the reins of our life to HIS control.

Surrender of our heart and Obedience in our life should go hand-in-hand, but
often they do not. We may take a step of surrender, but ?hold on' to the
desire to do "what we want to do." Obedience must be the great desire of our
heart and life, before every other consideration.

Paul says, the most reasonable thing we can do, is to "Offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of
worship." The incomprehensible love of God, His mercy and grace manifested
to us ... should propel us forward in every encounter, and compel us to take
up our cross daily and follow Him.

Well, might we ask ourselves, "What is the most important thing in our life?
What or Who controls our life? What are we living for? What are we investing
our time and energy to accomplish? When our journey is over, how has our
life been spent? What part did Jesus Christ have in all the activities of
our life? Was Jesus Christ simply an appendix to our daily life, or the ONE
who was the Authority and Sovereign of our life?" These are penetrating
questions we all need to confront and answer honestly.

You see, the "Surrender" of our will only finds its significance and
fulfillment when it is accompanied by "Obedience" of our heart and life to
His Will.
Surrender has no meaning if we resist in following in obedience. It is like
"knowing about Christ" compared to "knowing Him experimentally" through a
personal encounter with Him ... having intimate fellowship with Him ... and
walking daily in His glorious companionship.

Surrender finds its delight, joy, hope, and peace when accompanied by
Obedience. This is the object of Christ being the Lord of our lives ... that
we may be "conformed to the image of His Son." May it be the longing of our
hearts and the joy of our life, as we walk in simple child-like faith. "Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" ... with
Surrendered Hearts and a Walk in Obedience to His Will.


Stu
<mailto:K5stu at sbcglobal.net>K5stu at sbcglobal.net
Reading your Bible today will help prepare you for A Brighter Tomorrow!
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