Saturday, April 28, 2012

Knowing Is Not Enough

My Utmost For His Highest

“The moment you allow yourself to think, “What about this?” you show that you have not surrendered and that you do not really trust God. But once you do surrender, you will no longer think about what God is going to do. Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you totally abandon yourself to God, He immediately says to you, “I will give your life to you as a prize . . . .” The reason people are tired of life is that God has not given them anything— they have not been given their life “as a prize.” The way to get out of that condition is to abandon yourself to God. And once you do get to the point of total surrender to Him, you will be the most surprised and delighted person on earth.” CHAMBERS

What is it that you would most like to have in your life?   Lack of want .. lack of fear … health …. to be loved and accepted … the absence of relational conflict …. We spend a lot of time worrying about those things and trying to make them a reality. 

Jesus said  If you try to save your life you will lose it, but if you  lose your life you will save it …. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

We are busy trying to find the ‘ideal’ life … but there is only one place it can be found … In Christ.  Totally surrendered to God … trusting Him in everything … and when we stop trying to save our life .. God gives us our life ‘as a prize’.  Can you see the spiritual reality of that?  Like Elisha’s servant And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’ (2 Kings 6:17)

Are your eyes open to the reality of the promises of God … and the understanding that what is happening in the world around you …. Is not what defines you?  The absence or presence of acceptance, love, conflict, material possession … does not determine the quality of your life … because you have found your life in Christ …. Who came to give you life, life more abundantly.

Jesus said …. "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

What is my point in all of this?  I am pretty sure that everything I have shared with you … you already know … the problem is … you don’t trust God enough to do it.  It’s a big step, putting your full weight on God … Martie is recovering from hip replacement surgery.  She is doing extremely well … amazingly well.  But one of her biggest challenges is trusting that the new hip will support her. She is using other muscles to help her walk … The more she trusts the hip, the better she walks .. the more she walks, the stronger she becomes …

God is trust worthy … He wants to give you your life as a prize.  You know that verse I am closing this with Proverbs 3:5,6.  But it’s not enough to know it … you have to live it.

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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