Tag Archives: surrender

LOVE EACH OTHER. 030915

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Follow Jesus road sign with sun backgroundJesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

In John 17:22-23, Jesus prayed for those who would later believe in Him (that includes us) “that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me.” Continue reading →

ETERNAL LIFE? 030715

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Trust in the Lord With All Thine Heart road signIn John 5:24, Jesus says, 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe [trust] in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned, they have already passed from death into life.” This is the most basic expression of the Gospel.

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TRUE OBEDIENCE. 022515

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Silhouette illustration of a man praying under the lightIn Matthew 21: 28-32, Jesus tells the story of the man who had two sons.  He went to the first and said, “Go to the vineyard.” And the son said, “I will not.” But afterward, he regretted it and went.  Then the father went to the second son and said the same.  That son said, “I’ll go.”  But he didn’t.  Then Jesus said, “Which one of the sons did the will of his father?”  [the Pharisees] said, “The first.”

Then Jesus tells the Pharisees that the sinners will get into heaven before them because the sinners BELIEVED what John the Baptist preached and were changed; while the Pharisees didn’t believe even after they saw it.  Jesus compared them to the second son, who said the right thing, but didn’t do it. Continue reading →

THE TWO SONS. 022415

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In Matthew 21: 28-32 Jesus says, “What do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ The son said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” [The Pharisees] said to Him, “The first.”  Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John [preached] righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

What does this mean?  It’s this: “Whatever you SAY; God cares about what you DO.”  So the Pharisees answered correctly.  But Jesus skips right to the main point, “You guys say the right things; but you don’t do right.  So the bad people, the people you despise because they don’t do right and they don’t answer correctly; they are going to heaven and you’re not.  They believed John’s preaching and turned; but you didn’t turn even when you saw how they were changed.”

So I guess you could say, “Practice what you preach,” and God will like you. But that might not be quite right either; because God looks at our hearts; and He knows what’s in your heart, even if you’re able to hide it from everyone else.  Doing right is not necessarily obedient, if your heart’s not in the right place.  Just like the two sons, the first son said, “I won’t go;” but then regretted it and went.  His heart was in the right place.  The second son said the right thing, but his heart wasn’t right, ’cause he didn’t go.  Like the Pharisees.

So obedience must be about having your heart right.  And how do you make your heart right?  You humble yourself, you surrender to Jesus and you trust Him; and His Spirit comes into your heart.  Your ole heart just can’t get any more ‘all right’ than that.

God’s Servant.021015

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In 2 Timothy 2: 24-26, Paul says to Timothy, (Tex’s paraphrase)  “God’s servant must not argue, but be gentle, ready and able to teach, patient (as in ‘love suffers long’), humbly teaching those who oppose him; maybe God will let them see and accept the truth, so they can escape the trap of the devil, and stop doing his will.”

Do you feel the love in this verse?  It follows the “Love Chapter” I Corinthians 13. ‘Don’t argue with them’; that’s the part about not demanding your own way.  ‘Gentle’; that’s all about being kind, not irritable or grouchy, not boastful or proud or rude.  ‘Ready and able to teach’; loving enough to put up with them ‘not getting it’; to continue telling them the truth.  ‘Humbly’– when they say something mean and tacky, you don’t have to gig ‘em back; because the Spirit in you can believe the best for them, hope the best for them, and never give up praying for them.

This works; even for little kids and teenagers (LOL!); sometimes even for old people who never really grew up.  ‘Course the whole point is that you can do these things only when your heart is totally surrendered to God, so that it is not you that’s doing anything, but God’s Holy Spirit, Who is pouring through you, leading you and them into all truth.

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY.012915

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Trust in God wooden sign on a beautiful dayIn Philippians 4:6-8, Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing, (don’t worry) but in everything by prayer .  .  with thanksgiving,   .  .  [ask for what you need]; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. .  .  ., whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, .  .  [worth knowing], whatever is virtuous and worthy of being praised—meditate on these things.” (Tex’s paraphrase)

So what is this passage about, really?  Continue reading →

It’s a Lot Like Baseball.012815

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Life is a lot like baseball.  In order to play you just need to understand a few rules, get down the fundamentals, and then practice.  How much you practice has a big bearing on how you get along.  A coach in Texas used to make his players follow the “Rule of 100″.  Every player had to throw 100, catch 100, hit 100 balls EVERY day.  Sounds like work. But he produced some great baseball players and some great teams.  Went to the State championship a lot of times.

Life in Jesus is like that.  To be a follower of Jesus you just need to learn the rules, get down the fundamentals and then practice. What are the fundamentals?  Talk to God, listen to God; trust God and obey Him. EVERY day.  Pretty simple, but not easy.  Takes practice.  The more you do it, the easier it gets.  The reward is that you develop a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe and He comes to live in your own private heart.  Life just can’t get any better than that.Like I said.  It’s like baseball.  When you get on a losing streak, what do all good coaches recommend?  Get back to the fundamentals.  When you stick with the fundamentals, it’ll turn your game and your life around. Thanks Tex

IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, IT’LL SHOW. 092714

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In the Message, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “ Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” In the KJV, I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

You know what?  Like someone said, if you’re happy and thankful and blessed because you trust in Jesus, send a message to your face.  ‘Course, if you’re frowning all the time, it’s probably (almost certainly) because your face knows the truth about what is in your heart.  Like Jesus says in Luke 6:45, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  Same goes for your face.  “Out of the abundance of the heart [your eyes and your face] speak.”  Being happy because you have an ongoing, growing relationship with God through Jesus; and the Holy Spirit is residing in you heart; that’s just not something you can force or fake.

And if you claim to have that relationship, but you’re still unhappy, it’ll show on your face.  Most likely it’s because you still haven’t really surrendered your whole self to God, to let Him run your life.  You’re still trying to take care of everything for yourself, to stay in control.  And as long as you’re doing that, God will to let you.

But when you finally give up and let Him have your whole life and your whole self; then you’ll get that sense of relief that only God can give.  You’ll know what rest is all about.  You feel that sense of security, inside and out, that only Jesus can give.  THEN, you’ll be rejoicing all the time and giving thanks for everything that happens to you, good, bad or indifferent.  And your face will be glowing, your eyes will be sparkling, with God.  You just won’t be able to hold it in.  Like Peter said in Acts 4:18-20, “We just can’t help but tell what we’ve seen and heard.”  You’ll be saying, “I just can’t help but grin because I’m so glad to get to be here; right in the middle of the hollow of God’s hand!”  Hallelu Jah!