Friday, January 27, 2012

To Follow or not to follow?






The day begins again.................I inhale and exhale hard..............wondering  which way do I go in a world that has me spinning out of control lately?


I wake early in the wee hours of the morning to feed..............on the one true food that matters....."the word."  But apparently I am continuing to miss it.................I fumble and stumble my way through ........hearing only what I want to hear.

Not wanting the fire to burn.................... through the layers of me.
Yet His grace..........circles me again and again.  I grieve.........because it's me that continues to live........thirsty!

I see the well.............it's right in front of me...........but I clinch my lips the tight............WHY? I scream..............why want I drink the water of everlasting?

Maybe to drink is to follow....................on a path of the unknown.  Maybe I am scared.........tired and weary.


17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)



 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words [a]he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. (Mark 10:21-22)



What does it truly mean to follow Him? 
Surrender I  hear him whisper..................a life of surrender!
The surrender of our wants...............the surrender of the temporary things of this world. A heart transformation is needed.............before we can surrender our will for His will. Where the eternal things become our number one priority!

Sometimes life can be messy......and........dirty........... and God says it's OK because I came for the messy!
We need to feel the weight of the cross on our backs. Sometimes in this life we will have to taste suffering.............. rejection...........and things that are unpleasant.
Real followers taste it! Or should I say drink it and..............they are never thirsty again.

A true FOLLOWER surrenders his all...............and says not my will but yours Father.

Want you join me in this 21st century................letting it be all about FOLLOWING THE KING?
This world is not our home...............We are only passing through............we are merely sojourners.  Abraham continued to live in temporary housing as He picked up his cross to FOLLOW Jesus..............He lived in a tent because he knew that the world he was living in was only temporary he was only passing through.
To FOLLOW Jesus is going to require us to look at this world as temporary............it's a daily  sacrifice of dying to ourselves!


Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

We live in an upside down world................where up is really down...........and the lower we bend the closer we are to seeing His face! Make that cross heavy Father, we want to see your face!

A pledge by a late bible teacher..........RUSSELL KELLER:

He suggested that it would be a good idea to write out a brief document on a piece of paper, sign your name at the bottom, and make it a habit of recommitting yourself to it on a regular basis.


Having been born into the kingdom of God. I do hereby acknowledge that God's purchase of my life included all the rights and control of that life for all eternity.

I do further acknowledge that He has NOT guarunteed me to be free from pain or to have success or prosperity. He has not guaranteed me perfect health. He has not guaranteed me perfect parents. He has not guaranteed me perfect children. He has not guaranteed me the absence of pressures, trails, misunderstandings, or persecution.

What He has promised me is ETERNAL LIFE!  What He has promised me is ABUNDANT LIFE. What He has promised me is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENTLENESS, MEEKNESS, and SELF-CONTROL. He has given me all of Himself in exchange for the rights to my life.

Therefore I acknowledge this day the relinquishment of all my rights and expectations, and humbly ask Him by HIS GRACE to replace these with a GREATUL SPIRIT.......for whatever in His WISDOM He DEEMS to allow for my life.


What a difference our lives would be if we started from the very beginning of each day SURRENDERING full rights to our lives to Him!

We must pour out first to be filled!



But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.
Philippians 2:17; NIV


 
all is well,
Robbie