Experiencing Submission?

If God is allowing you to experience a seemingly endless season of submission -- if you feel that you are losing a sense of who you are and what His purpose for your life is -- rejoice, because it more than likely means Jesus is wondrously making you one with Who He is. 

Give away your life to Him... And be...

...Grateful 

Love

1 Corinthians 13 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Love

13 I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal. ² I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don’t have love, I am nothing. ³ I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned.^[a] But if I don’t have love, none of these things will help me.

⁴ Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn’t jealous. It doesn’t sing its own praises. It isn’t arrogant. ⁵ It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs. ⁶ It isn’t happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. ⁷ Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.

⁸ Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used. ⁹ Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete. ¹⁰ But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways. ¹² Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.

¹³ So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

Love... Gives away its life...

Grateful

Make Me An Empty Jar of Clay

Lord, I want to be nothing except an empty jar of clay, yes, a vessel of your own design and desire, so that your Abiding Presence can be placed in and poured through me, thereby producing an overflowing blessing (for Your Glory) to others. 

Grateful 

"As You Suffer for a Little While"

1 Peter 5:10 (GWT) -- "God, Who shows you His kindness and Who has called You through Jesus Christ to enter His glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while." 

"Give away your life..." 

Luke 6:38 (The Message Bible)

Grateful 

My Prayer Based on Luke 6:46-49

Dearest Lord Jesus:

Lord, I want to be one who:

(1) Comes to You;

(2) Hears what You say;

(3) And, Obeys totally.

Let this lifestyle of undeniable faith be the unshakable foundation of my life. 

Lord, I give away my life, to You.

In Your Holy Name, I humbly pray.

Amen.

Grateful 

"Packing Away the Christmas Decorations"

It's January 2, 2015, my friends. 

With the weather forecast promising some colder weather, it made "common sense" to take down the outdoor Christmas lights in today's milder weather; so I did. I really didn't want to start packing away the Christmas decorations, but I sensed it was time.

A dear friend told me earlier this week, that he gets troubled when he starts putting the Christmas things away each January. I feel his pain. 

With my Dad's November passing, I needed the warmth and glow of Christmas this past December like no other time in my life. In fact, I'm keeping a few decorations up inside the house until I decide to put them away. Some will likely stay out until December comes again, Lord willing. I need all the inspiration I can get. 

And yes, in case you're wondering, I'm doing my very best to focus forward, and it's happening slowly but surely. 

The past is fading fast and the future is presently calling my name. I want to move onward, even though a part of my heart hates that Christmas 2014 is all but gone.

My attention is now turning quickly to God's Word. I am sure I will especially spend the majority of 2015 saturating in one particular book of the New Testament. For now, I won't reveal which book, but it will soon be all too obvious as I begin to preach and blog and tweet in the days forward. 

I am so glad God has given me Scriptural direction. It seems more clear this year than ever and I am so grateful.

I pray today that the joy of The Lord will be your strength and mine. I pray that any trepidation we have about tomorrow will give way to anticipation today. And even though Christmas is gone, I pray we will know in every moment for the rest of our lives that Emmanuel is here -- Christ with us and, yes, within us. 

Give away your life...

Grateful 

(I left one outdoor decoration up. Yes, a bow around the front yard tree. My Dad started this tradition. It was once his way to welcome his family back home. Now I continue the tradition to remind me that Dad is HOME and I'm not HOME yet but will be Someday.)

New Year Questions to Minimize Regrets & Maximize Rejoicing

If it were possible, would we like to change anything about our past lives?

Well, while our past can be forgiven, (and that's a good thing) neither God, nor you and I, can change yesterday's regrets, right? While we should "go back" and make restitution with others wherever possible, we cannot go back and relive days gone by.

However, if we would like things in our present and future to be delightfully different than some of the regrets of our past, now's the time to allow God to make the course corrections in our journey.

Will we allow God to change us now and later?

Will we partner with God in total, trust-filled obedience, thereby minimizing future regrets?

Will we allow God to have His way with His clay, today... and tomorrow?

If we say "Yes, to God's will and to His way" right now and continue to say "Yes", I'd forecast for us a very Holy New Year and Beyond, indeed!

So, I offer Hope-filled, Holy Cheers to you my friends! In other words, I'm in for a present and a future focused on minimizing future regrets and maximizing forever rejoicing. How about you?

Let's Live in the Light!

Grateful