DAY 6 (Saturday 9/21/13) (excerpt from “My Utmost for His Highest” a devotional by Oswald Chambers) Read: Mark 10:26-30 Peter began to say to Him, ’See, we have left all and followed You’ —Mark 10:28 Our Lord replies to this statement of Peter by saying that this surrender is “for My sake and the gospel’s” (10:29). It was not for the purpose of what the disciples themselves would get out of it. Beware of surrender that is motivated by personal benefits that may result. For example, “I’m going to give myself to God because I want to be delivered from sin, because I want to be made holy.” Being delivered from sin and being made holy are the result of being right with God, but surrender resulting from this kind of thinking is certainly not the true nature of Christianity. Our motive for surrender should not be for any personal gain at all. We have become so self-centered that we go to God only for something from Him, and not for God Himself. It is like saying, “No, Lord, I don’t want you; I want myself. But I do want You to clean me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I want to be on display in Your showcase so I can say, ’This is what God has done for me.’ ” Gaining heaven, being delivered from sin, and being made useful to God are things that should never even be a consideration in real surrender. Genuine total surrender is a personal sovereign preference for Jesus Christ Himself. Where does Jesus Christ figure in when we have a concern about our natural relationships? Most of us will desert Him with this excuse—”Yes, Lord, I heard you call me, but my family needs me and I have my own interests. I just can’t go any further” (see Luke 9:57-62). “Then,” Jesus says, “you ’cannot be My disciple’ ” (see Luke 14:26-33). True surrender will always go beyond natural devotion. If we will only give up, God will surrender Himself to embrace all those around us and will meet their needs, which were created by our surrender. Beware of stopping anywhere short of total surrender to God. Most of us have only a vision of what this really means, but have never truly experienced it. Discuss/Reflect: -What is is you desire to accomplish or attain by surrendering (going All In) to Jesus? -Do you have to fight any selfish motives in your answer? -Are you able to look at Jesus as the reward for surrender? That surrender costs us much, yet we gain Jesus should be enough, is it? -What areas of your life do you most resist total surrender? Prayer: -Confess to Jesus the areas in which you resist surrender. The areas where you forget you don’t deserve His grace. -Thank Him for Grace. Speak out the names of God, the characteristics of God, and affirm to Him that you know He is indeed enough. Tell Him aloud the ways in which He has shown you that HE is your reward, HE is enough, HE is trustworthy. -Now commit to surrender those areas you confessed, and trust the God you just spoke of Him being. -Admit to Jesus that sometimes you selfishly expect life to be easier, or blessings to come your way, because you believe in Him. Express to Him that you want to live with the perspective that surrender is worth it, because to He Is Enough.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 03:43:55 +0000
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