All who surrender obey

I have been thinking about this idea for a while... Self-will vs God's will...

Over and over and over - we frame stuff in terms of YOU go do... I go.. I decide.. I do...

The thing that worries me about this is that it puts a focus back on your own self... You are making the decision that something needs to be done - and you rely on the power of your own fortitude, skills, and strengths to accomplish it..... This sort of thing is a zero-sum game, though... Moving from "Self-will" to "Self-will" doesn't get us anything - no matter how good or bad sounding the preceding adjectives are....

See - when we move from Self-willed Hedonism and Narcissism to self willed Compassion, humility, and charity - we FEEL like we are doing something *Good*... We feel Righteous, like we have accomplished something.... We puff out our chests because WE are being Godly - but really, the pride is the pride of feeling Better than somebody else... Of being STRONGER than them...

Similarly, when we cast off the self willed compassion, restraint, and humility and cave in to self-willed narcissism and hedonism - it's cast as "Backsliding" or "Disobedience"... There's (sometimes) guilt and remorse over this - but frequently, the 'Bad feelings' are simply sorrow over the CONSEQUENCES - not real sorrow or concern over the SIN itself...

Here's a link to a blog post I saw on this - and it really struck me.
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Yitro/Obedience/obedience.html

Thanks
 
All who surrender obey
>I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8
>Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:10
>And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 10:38-39 See also: Matthew 16:24-25 Mark 8:34-35 Luke 9:23-24 Luke 14:26-27 John 12:24-26
>(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2Corinthians 10:4-5
>Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1Peter 1:22-23
>What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1Corinthians 6:19-20
 
All who surrender and obey,
Will walk out His best in thier life and ALWAYS be right where God is or where he wants you to be. You will fulfill His call or plans for your life and will be a blessing to others greaster then you can imangine. You will grow beyond what others thought you would and mature into the very person He has seen you as all along.

Free Will here would be as follows......I am willing to be willing and free to be free anytime you need me no matter what I am doing.
Now I am willing to be willing and BE DEVELOPED into the person He created me to be.
Key Word.....I need some developing....don't you ?
Jim
 
What this brings to my mind is how things are given names to distract from what we should be focused on; items like, 'Iphone', 'Ipad', 'Me tv', they get people thinking in a self-centered manner IMO.

I/you see a lot of this in advertising with phrases like, 'you deserve this'.

It brings about people thinking like what I call, 'me me's'. When we should be focused on The Fathers' will.
 
Key Word.....I need some developing....don't you ? Jim

3:11 in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life.
3:12 I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Philippians GNB

It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.
He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ.
And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature. Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful people, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent. Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4: 11-15 GNB
 
I can see a new life insurance plan advertising campaign - "Eternal life in Jesus Christ: because you deserve this. Limited offer only while the Earth lasts."

I am thankful I do not get what I deserve
There is only one who is worthy and that is Jesus
it was/is through His grace that I became a child of God
Not by what I do but by what He has done


I never knew love so true
Till I knew love from You
Its a gift given
Not for what I do
Its the gift of grace
That comes from You
Thank You Jesus
peter
 
Rom 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

What man could not possible do in keeping the Law, God did for us by sending his Son and condemning sin in man but also in fulfilling the Law.
The Lord then places that exact same Spirit that was in Jesus and puts him into his man. Now we are walk like Jesus walked by letting Jesus to continue doing his works through man as long as man is submitted to him.

Gal 4:6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

God is still doing for man, what man still can not do through his Son who just happens to be our new life!!
 
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Even more so...

What I am getting at is how many times do we walk up the aisle, bow in the pews... How many times to "We Repent" ... We "Change our minds"... Only to find that our minds really haven't changed at all... That within a week or a month or a year - we are right back into what we "Repented" out of... Is God really that weak that His power wears out - or is it really, that we Self-willed it and now, are just tired of this flavor of self will....

What struck me is that there are certain topics that pastors like to deal with from The Pulpit than in the mess of real life... It's SO easy to declare from the pulpit "REPENT!"... So much harder to take hold of TRUE repentance where God is fighting the battle for you - and even far more difficult to "Hold Fast to what you have".... It's *NOT* as easy as the sermon message makes it out to be... You can't just *Decide* and then all will be better... If that was the case - then Israel would never have wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, and Christians wouldn't be struggling with frustration, doubt, hate, divorce, broken families, addiction, and all the rest of the problems that beset society at large....

Rather what we really need is "God, are you with me in this, or is it simply my own wishful thinking"... Why? Because I am really good at wishful thinking.....

Thanks
 
What this brings to my mind is how things are given names to distract from what we should be focused on; items like, 'Iphone', 'Ipad', 'Me tv', they get people thinking in a self-centered manner IMO.

I/you see a lot of this in advertising with phrases like, 'you deserve this'.

It brings about people thinking like what I call, 'me me's'. When we should be focused on The Fathers' will.
Luke 9: 24-25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

“Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)

Luke 14: 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
 
If anybody had a cause to "complain" about what he suffered in his life, that would be the Apostle Paul. Having been ship wrecked, left in the ocean to drown, stoned to the point of near death, imprisonments, and all the complaints, from other Christians, and accusations from false brothers, I am sure he thought "Lord why me". Then there was the time when he thought for sure his life was over, because of the severe troubles and pressures that came upon him in the province of Asia. But he found something out that revealed to him why these things happened.

2Co 1:8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
2Co 1:9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

It is too easy to say we trust in the Lord, when are going about trying to do things our own way, and not letting the Lord deal with our problems. Do we really trust in his abilities or ours?
 
Even more so...

What I am getting at is how many times do we walk up the aisle, bow in the pews... How many times to "We Repent" ... We "Change our minds"... Only to find that our minds really haven't changed at all... That within a week or a month or a year - we are right back into what we "Repented" out of... Is God really that weak that His power wears out - or is it really, that we Self-willed it and now, are just tired of this flavor of self will....

What struck me is that there are certain topics that pastors like to deal with from The Pulpit than in the mess of real life... It's SO easy to declare from the pulpit "REPENT!"... So much harder to take hold of TRUE repentance where God is fighting the battle for you - and even far more difficult to "Hold Fast to what you have".... It's *NOT* as easy as the sermon message makes it out to be... You can't just *Decide* and then all will be better... If that was the case - then Israel would never have wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, and Christians wouldn't be struggling with frustration, doubt, hate, divorce, broken families, addiction, and all the rest of the problems that beset society at large....

Rather what we really need is "God, are you with me in this, or is it simply my own wishful thinking"... Why? Because I am really good at wishful thinking.....

Thanks
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Galatians 5:16 KJV
This I say then, Walk in the SPIRIT, and ye shall NOT fulfil the lust of the flesh.

NLT...
So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you wont be doing what your sinful nature craves.

How do we actually do this or how can we be assured that we can actually live like this and have the same kind of resultsd as the written word of God says ?? Well I am glad you asked !

Romans 12:2 KJV
And be not conformed to this world: BUT be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

NLT...Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, BUT let GOD transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what GOD wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will realy is.

Now then does this mean we never mess up or never make a mistake ? Well yea I cant say that would be true. So what do we do when this happens ? I mean are we now on Gods personal hit list and He has sent satan to take us out ? LOL I think some folks actually think this way. NOOOOOoooooooooo !!

It's Called "GRACE" God's over whelming desire to treat us as if sine never happened

So what do we do about our mistakes. That is easy.
1John1:9 KJV
If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and just to forgive us our sins AND to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
To Continue where my post got cut off and sent to who knows where. lol
1John1:9 NLT...
But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

Now then we MUST also recieve OUR forgivness and cleansing.
So then after this, what is left ? RIGHEOUSNESS....so we must act like it and live like it.
Too many Christians feel they need to waller in it for a time and suffer or something but in reality they are simply applying that the Blood that Christ shed for us is not enough to wash away or cleanse them of thier sins.... BAD CHOICE..

Ok you say it can't be that easy and there has to be more....Why YES it is thast easy and YES there is more.......it's called forgivness and love......

Mark 11:25 KJV
And when you stand praying, FORGIVE, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you, your trespasses.

NLT
But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven will forgive your sins too.

Yea I know some of you say that is not fare for I cant forgive what that preacher said about faith people or you don't know what they did to me and that is going to take a very long time before I forgive them and pluss they better say they are sorry first or I wont even think about forgiving them....

Well, can you stand praying for that long of a time ? NOOOO you can't so it must mean that you need to forgive them, right there and right now.... Well you dont have too but dont come complaining that God does not hear you or answer your prayers..... Again, it's kingdom law or the way the kingdom of God opperates and it does not matter what you or I think about it. Nope..it's just the way it works and always has and always will too in all ways.

Talk about adding frustration to your life. God has given us all the resources we will ever need to live a victorious life in Christ while we are here in this earth. It's up to us to not only LEARN them but we must also LEARN TO USE THEM as well.

I read above that it can not be that easy and you can not just decide and it will be better.
Well sorry to go against this but YEA it is and YEA it does.
See we MUST DECIDE first to make the choice to be willing to walk in Gods ways. Another words....renew the mind and fill the heart with the written word of GOD. Then we decide to put it to practice and live the way He has set before us through His written word.
If we do then we live in victory and if we get lazy and slothful with His word and His ways then we live a miserable defeated life. Again....it's just the way it works...

See the children wandering in the wilderness was THIER CHOICE and not GOD'S CHOICE.
They complained and spoke words of doubt and fear and acted on it....Example....how many times did they say things like...he brought us out here in the wilderness to die, or we are going to die in this wilderness? Well they died right there in the wilderness.....

Words, Faith, Love and actions all play into victory or defeat.
Brothers and sisters.....it's not the word of God or even the ways of God that is dificult or hard. NO, NO, NO it is us who makes it hard. Make the choice to walk in His way and in His ways of doing things.........Life is wonderful then.

P.S...I never said there is not going to be pressure or persucutions......we all know they come for the words sake and not ours......It is to get the word out of us and to shut up our faith mouth and stop our living by faith and seeing the results that the written word of God Promises us......

Can I keep going....please, I really love talking about God and His written word for us.
Well Be a blessing to others and Love others even as Jesus has loved us.
Jim
 
It is very difficult to do "algebra" unless you understand all its concepts, and the laws associated with it. Once these things are learned is very easy to do. These concepts and laws requires time to learn. It is very hard to "trust" in someone you do not know very well. It requires you to have a history with that person, and as you experience their faithfulness your trust in them grows. I look back in my Christian walk I had a hard time believing the Lord would actually see me through a lot hard times. In these hard times the Lord did not speak a word, and all my troubles went away, it was more of the Lord strengthened me so I could endure and overcome these troubles. Now after almost 40 years I can look back and I see that the Lord never let me down at any time. I now have no problems with anything that comes my way these days as I now have a history with God, and he always sees me through no matter it may be. The Bible speaks of a group of people that were being persecuted and what they did to endure there troubles.

Heb 10:32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.
Heb 10:33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
Heb 10:34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

These people endured all their sufferings because they knew they had something more lasting and better within themselves. The Lord strengthened them and they where told to remember those former days when they endured them all, because they had a history with God to look back on and see God is always faithful.
 
@CCW95A,
Amen Brother ! Very well said.
It took me a while to learn that Jesus would carry me through to the other side BUT I had to have faith and trust that he would.

Then He opened my eyes..........He showed me out of the mouth the heart does flow and showed me how important the renewing of your mind truly is. Once I got that revelation, well Brother it has been a brand new walk in Christ and every day I try to keep every seed He is sowing into my heart from becoming way side seed.

It is not as hard as we tend to make it. Once we gain the knowledge taught in Mark 4, then we can be prepared for the pressure or persicution the enemy brings our way for the words sake. It's our hearts and the ground we have made them that directs how we fare in our walk.
Thank You for your words brother......thery hit home big time.
Jim
 
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16: 33
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1John 5: 2-4
 
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16: 33
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1John 5: 2-4

It sure pays to be His !! I can not even trying to live in this day and age with out Him.
Shivers at just the thought.
 
Everyday on the news, local, national and international you hear and read of lives destroyed and wasted on self destruction by NOT knowing the one and only true God and Saviour, nor living the Gospel of Salvation. People celebrate the lives of the dead and lost, so blind and obstinate are they.
Proverbs calls unbelievers and scoffers FOOLS - because the definition of a fool is one who brings harm or loss upon him/herself. :confused:
 
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