A Surrendered Life (Romans 12:1-2)

Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The Scriptures challenge us to yield and do the will of God. Psalm 40:8, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. One man who delighted to do the will of God, no matter what the cost, was Abraham Bininger, a Swiss boy from Zurich. He came with his parents to this country on the same ship with John Wesley. His parents died on the trip and were buried at sea. Young Abraham stepped down the gang-plank alone in a strange and bewildering land. A short time later he decided to take the Gospel to the natives on the island of St. Thomas, but when he got there, he learned that it was illegal for anyone but a slave to preach the Gospel to the slaves. He wrote to the governor of the island begging to become a slave himself that he might have the freedom to proclaim the gospel. The letter was forwarded to the king of Denmark who was so touched by Bininger's desire that he sent an edict to allow him to preach the Gospel where, when, and to whom he chose. This man who presented his body as a living sacrifice was greatly used of the Lord.

The Lord expects us to offer our bodies to Him. There can be no doubt the Lord desires and demands physical action on our part. It is not possible to present our bodies if we are not there in a physical sense. Discipleship requires physical action. Discipleship will never be achieved through an apathetic attitude. God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, but we must seek Him through prayer and the reading of Scripture to discern that perfect will. There is no greater joy a person can have than knowing they are doing the will of the Lord. The Lord calls for all of us to be a living sacrifice and to submit ourselves for His service with all our heart. When we surrender our purpose and will to God and allow Him to use us as He sees fit, amazing things happen. The world is shaken, not by the wise, the mighty, the intelligent, or the skilled, but by those who have yielded to God. Paul said it was "reasonable" for us to surrender our lives, but many today seem to think that it is too much to ask. Instead of surrendering, they cling tightly to their own desires and interests. How much better it is both for us and for a world in need if we surrender and let God choose our path!

Each and every morning, teach yourself to begin your day with a prayer of dedication in which you earnestly and reverently present yourself and all that you are to God’s purposes. Don’t assume that because you did it yesterday, you don’t need to do it today. Every day you to take a step closer to the Lord and make a commitment more serious than the one you made before. As followers of Christ, may we have a strong passion to honor Him in every area of life that brings honor to Christ in words and actions and exalts Him. Out of gratitude to the Lord, we should be completely devoted to loving Him, living by His standards and serving His purposes for our lives. Our purpose should be to show God’s holiness in all we do. This requires moral purity and complete dedication to God so we can pursue a deeper relationship with Him. We must offer our bodies to God as dead to sin and alive to God and as the temple of the Holy Spirit. May our impact for Christ go beyond the meeting place where we gather for worship and reach others with the Gospel.

Questions to Consider:

• Have you willfully, deliberately, and intentionally presented your body to God?
• Do you daily consecrate yourself to the Lord?
• Would God say that you live your life like a “living sacrifice”?

Points to Ponder:

• Don’t let ANYTHING hold you back from taking this step of faith right now!
• Today is the day to surrender yourself into the hands of God.
• Don’t wait until tomorrow.

PRAYER: Father, teach me that I may know how to be more Christlike that I may please You and that You would be glorified. I know that I will never accomplish this without the Holy Spirit. So right now, I yield to Him. In Jesus name, Amen!

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Coffee and the Word of God (Psalm 63:1)

Psalm 63:1, O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”

Nothing else is quite like the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee early in the morning. In fact, many are dependent on it every day, particularly the first thing in the morning. I’m amused at the bumper sticker I read once, “No Coffee…No Workee”. Or this comment a wife gave her husband before they had their morning conversation, “Woah, I have not had my coffee yet.” Understand, that just as important as it is for people to have that cup of coffee first thing, isn’t it more important to have time with the Lord first thing?

There’s no questioning it, many people are addicted to coffee. They must have their fresh brewed cup of coffee in the morning to get a little caffeine into the system. The pleasure even begins when preparing the coffee. From spooning the coffee from the canister to brewing it the pot. Coffee is one of the simple pleasures in life that many will never tire of and will always be dependent on. Coffee always goes great with morning conversations and brings pleasure when shared. For most, you cannot get enough coffee. Some want coffee filled to the brim, to the point that it is running over.

Coffee! How do you like it? Smooth? French Roast? Bold? Intense Bold? Some prefer their coffee different from than how others would prefer it. Just as people depend on, seek and drink coffee for numbers of reasons, so people seek the Scriptures for various reasons. God’s will is for people to be awake and alert, not groggy and tired. As many seek coffee to bring about alertness, let me encourage you to seek the Scriptures as a means to pursue and bring about His Will for your life.

Some prefer Psalm, Proverbs, Gospels etc. Whatever the desire, or direction, the Lord is leading you to that day, get in it.
· Somedays you may need Psalms for refreshing.
· Somedays you may need Proverbs for wisdom, knowledge, guidance, counsel, and instruction.
· Somedays you may need the Gospels for that close walk with the Lord.

Every believer should pray as David did in Psalm 63:1. David’s prayer describes a deep longing for God. One that can only be satisfied by a close, personal relationship with Him. Those who claim to know God need to examine themselves by asking, do I really have a strong desire for God’s presence and purposes to be first in my life. Do I go through life with my focus mainly on temporary or worldly goals or pleasures? Have my personal desires replaced prayer, Bible study and true service to God.

God will use our wants to create a desire for Him. Only He can satisfy the emotional and spiritual wants in our heart. David was on the run from Absalom and had to flee the land, unable to worship the Lord in Jerusalem. His lack of closeness with the Lord made him thirsty for Him. David sought the enjoyment of communion, closeness, and fellowship with God in public worship in Jerusalem. It was an urgent need of his soul. He viewed it not merely as the sweetest of all luxuries, but as an absolute necessity, like water to a deer. He must have his time with God or faint. We must be close to the Lord or we too, will faint. Neglecting the Living Water will leave us spiritually parched. Thank God, we don't have to go to Jerusalem to be close to the Lord or worship Him. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can walk with God each day. Even through the fires of life that we may face, He can quench the thirst in our soul.

Psalm 5:3, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. God desires that believers read His Word every day. But where does one read? Keep in mind, all Scriptures are inspired of the Lord. Therefore, pray and ask Him where He would lead you to. Whatever the need is, the Bible has the answer. But some need a particular portion of Scripture more than another due to what the need is or how the Lord is leading them.

PRAYER: Lord, I know that You have something to reveal to me in Your Word. My soul craves to be drawn to Your Words.
In Jesus name, AMEN!

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What Makes a Trustworthy Foundation for Life? (Matthew 7:24-27)

Matthew 7:24-27, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Jesus begins by warning of false foundations. He set forth a simple test with a simple illustration. It is not enough to just hear His Word, but to actually do it (James 1:22-25.) A hearer only deceives himself. The doer is the man who is to be blessed. He will withstand the storms of life and judgment. That doing begins with trusting Christ. Jesus uses another simple illustration from life: a house and its foundation.

A structure built upon bedrock will be solid and stable. Failing to build on an enduring foundation leads to destruction. A structure built without any foundation may stand for a short time, but when the inevitable storms come, the foundation of the house will collapse. The clear and simple application is of not only hearing, but actually doing the full spectrum of God’s Word in our lives. Some people miss salvation because they have built their lives on the shifting sands of religion.

The actual doing of God’s Word is the foundation that brings strength, security, and blessing. This is true in the matter of being saved in the first place and it is particularly true of the ongoing Christian life. It is the doer of the Word who is like the house on the rock. The one not doing His Word is likened to the house on the sand.

Every man faces the rains and storms of life. Storms can come anytime, anywhere. They can come today: through accident, through some bad news, through some tragedy—whatever. The day is coming when it will be too late to build. The foolish builder is a man who hears the instructions and does not obey them. Rather than building on the rock, he builds upon sand. He knows how to build, but he chooses not to build according to instructions. The sand is anything other than Christ.

The foolish builder built foolishly: there was great destruction—the difference was the foundation. The house fell. If we do not follow the Lord's sayings, His instructions, we will see our house fall and collapse. The trials of this life and the great trial to come will beat upon our house and condemn it to destruction: "And great was the fall of it." When do we need a solid house the most? Isn't it when the winds begin to blow and the storms come? When the storm begins, it is too late to build the house. How tragic to build and then experience the collapse of our lives when the storms come! A terrible storm is coming at death and in the Great Day of Judgment, a storm against which no man can stand unless he is held up by Christ. The man who builds on sand is hopeless.

Christ Jesus is the foundational stone for every true believer, a resting place for those who build for eternity. The Words of Christ are a trustworthy foundation. Obeying God is like building a house on a strong, solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. When life is calm, our foundations don't seem to matter. But when crises come, our foundations are tested. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.

The Bible never says that the rains won’t come. But if we’re built solidly on God’s Word, then we’ll survive the storm. If we’re built on worry, doubt, fear, and the world’s temporal pleasures, then our lives will shift, crack, and eventually crumble. Wise people hear the Word of God and do what it says. Foolish people hear the Word of God but don’t do what it says.

We shouldn’t be afraid of the storms because we believe in the God of the storms. We shouldn’t pray that God takes away our trials, because trials help mold us into His image—and they reveal the person we really are. Take some time today to examine your life. Is it built upon shifting sands or on the strong foundation of God’s Word?

• Why would people build a house without a foundation?
• Perhaps to save time and avoid the hard work of preparing a stone foundation.
• Maybe they haven't heard about the violent storms coming, or they have discounted the reports.
• Possibly they think disaster can't happen to them.
• Whatever their reason, those with no foundation are shortsighted, and they will be sorry.
• When you find yourself listening but not obeying, what are your reasons?

Prayer: Almighty Father, there are so many times when I turn the volume down on You and go my own way. I honestly don’t know why I do that because it never goes well. I want to be more sensitive to Your Spirit. Help me to stand on Your Word, and live according to Your principles. Help me to trust You enough to obey Your Word. Forgive my unbelief and pride to think I can manage on my own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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God’s Spiritual Scalpel (Hebrews 4:12)

Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had “gone through it several times.” “Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “Then you will tell a different story!”

Gaylord Kambarami, the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Zimbabwe, tried to give a New Testament to a very belligerent man. The man insisted he would roll the pages and use them to make cigarettes. Mr. Kambarami said, “I understand that, but at least promise to read the pages of the New Testament before you smoke it.” The man agreed, and the two went their separate ways. Fifteen years later, the two men met at a convention in Zimbabwe. The Scripture-smoking pagan had been saved and was now a full-time evangelist. He told the audience, “I smoked Matthew, and I smoked Mark, and I smoked Luke. But when I got to John 3:16, I couldn’t smoke anymore. My life was changed from that moment.” The Bible is more than just words on paper?

God’s Word is likened to a spiritual scalpel. The word sword here is more in the sense of scalpel used for surgery rather than a long sword. The emphasis is not upon the length of the blade, but upon the razor sharpness thereof. It is quick living. It is also powerful in that it is effective and effectual. God’s Word has the surgical sharpness to pierce deeper than our mind and into our heart. The Word of God can accomplish so much in our lives if we simply take the time to open it and be receptive to what it has to say.

God’s Word surpasses logic and psychology. It pierces directly to the human heart (our spirit), just as the surgeon’s knife goes to the marrow. Let’s consider our body for an example. Within the leg is the bone which is not visible even as our mind is not physically visible. However, even deeper still is the marrow even as our spirit {or spiritual heart} resides at the deepest level of human existence.

The difference between a surgeon and a butcher is a surgeon uses the scalpel for restoring and healing whereas that butcher uses the cleaver for slaughtering. Scripture is like a scalpel wielded by God to perform spiritual surgery. In conjunction with the Holy Spirit, the Word of God cuts through the sin and darkness of the human heart to restore spiritual health and vitality for Christ. Without the Word, we are as good as dead. God’s Word, however, eliminates the disease of the human heart and breathes life where there is death.

We face much difficulty in our life, and we will face many trials as we walk on this earth. The Lord has the power and desire to comfort us during any trial we face (II Corinthians 1:3-4). R.A. Torrey taught that one way to fullness of power was to be full of the Word of God. What does the Bible have the power to do? The power of God's Word produces courage and helps us live for God and take a strong stand for what is right. We who love God understand firsthand how great the Scripture is. It has worked in our heart and we have never been the same since. The Bible is our spiritual lifeline and brings us the essential spiritual nourishment we need to live for God. Our relationship grows deeper with Jesus when we get in the Word of God and apply it to our life. Without Scripture we have no direction from God and will wander in the wilderness spiritually. The Bible is our foundation and this is what we build our life on.

Prayer: Lord, I know that Your Word has the power to transform my life. Forgive me for the times I have just skimmed over Your Word rather than planting it deep in my heart. As I take it into my heart and get it deep into my soul, I ask You to use Your Word to release its power in my life! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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The World's Safest Place to Be (Psalm 91:4)
 
Psalm 91:4, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler
 
During a blizzard in South Wales, England, a young mother and her baby were making their way across the foothills when she was overtaken by the frigid storm. Failing to reach her destination, a group of searchers found her frozen body with her baby tightly wrapped underneath her; the child was warm and still alive. The mother had taken off her outer garments and covered her child from the cold. The child grew up to be David Lloyd George, Britain's Prime Minister and one of the greatest statesmen in England. His political and social greatness was made possible because his mother covered him in love. Much like David Lloyd George, our achievements in life can only be attributed to the covering of God's love.
 
God is omnipotent, all-powerful. He will cover and protect us under His wings of care when we stay close to Him. The psalmist compared God’s care for His people to a bird gathering her young under her wings in order to protect them. The Lord will be our refuge, covering and protecting us in the dangers of life. Regardless of the threats and fears we may face; we can be confident in the protection of our loving Saviour. The truth or faithfulness of God will be our shield and buckler. God has given us His faithful promises to use as our armor for life’s battles (Ephesians 6:10-20). We are protected by His faithfulness to His Word. Knowing that, we can have complete confidence that He will fulfill His promises to us.
 
In perilous times, we need to trust God to help us. When we abide in Him and live in the fullness of His Spirit, we can face every situation of life without fear. Whatever difficulties or dangers we may face, our Lord will be with us. The shadow of the Almighty will cover us through them all. We are covered by the feathers and sheltering wings of the Lord. His truth is our defense. It is our shield and buckler. The message is God's truth protects and surrounds us. It protects us from lies and deception and from making foolish decisions that scar our lives. Genuine security brings peace in times of darkness, danger, destruction, disease, and death. Night is a time of terrors, robbery, and murder. The godly man lies down in peace, and sleeps quietly, for he trusts his life in the hand of God, and he knows that He neither snoozes nor sleeps. Security and peace are a by-product of entrusting your life to God's care.
 
The fear of the unknown, the fear of loneliness, the fear of darkness, the fear of the future, or the fear of battle can be removed when your life is totally yielded to the Lord and you are obeying and doing what He instructs you to do in His Word. Peace comes from trusting in Him. In perilous times, we need to trust God to help us. When we abide in Him and live in the fullness of His Spirit, we can face every situation of life without fear. Satan’s fury against God, His Word, and His people is becoming more savage every day. More and more believers are paying a price for their faith in Jesus Christ. Through it all, however, God is our helper, and He is always with us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Our Saviour has promised to be with us to the end (Matthew 28:20). Whatever difficulties or dangers we may face, our Lord will be with us, we will not walk alone. We will walk under the comforting shelter of God’s shadow.
 
Points to Ponder:

• Most of the time God keeps us from a tragedy.
• Sometimes God allows tests to come upon us for our good.
• When God does allow trials to come into our lives, He is there to strengthen us and to help us bear it.

 
Questions to Consider:

• What ways has the Lord delivered you from tragedies?
• What areas in your life do you need to trust Him with?
• How has your faith been strengthened through the trials you have faced?

 
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your presence with me and that my future is secure in the place You're preparing for me. Your words bring me hope and comfort. Daily I catch glimpses of Your glory and blessing along the way as I walk with You. In Jesus name, Amen.
 
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