If you have been reading here for any length of time, you likely will have read about how my life radically changed, around 2005, when I went from living a Gospel that started at gaining life-teaching, to completely abandonment and surrender.
There was this point where the gospel pierced my heart, it slipped from my head to the depths, deep inside.
I knew prior, a Christian life had good works, but from what I had seen, it was for EARNING the gospel, not a fruit from the overflow and abundance of what was beneath the surface…
A heart sacrificed and fully abandoned, like a beggar in sacrificial servanthood.
And lately, I have been weighing what that tipping point is for each? Why some are set on propping themselves up as good people, while others…often the worst of sinners…”get” that they have nothing but Jesus...
And as a result, fully consecrate themselves to His work and teaching?
When did teachings shift from, “Nothing but the cross”, to “10 Steps to becoming a better person”.
If the journey to Jesus was a ten step plan, everyone would be successful. Afterall, we here in America are good at checking off our boxes, striving, and performances…
Yet, I read, “Cease from striving and KNOW that I am God.” (Amplified)
I open Acts this morning. The same place He brought me to yesterday. And what I read is both a hands and a heart ministry.
Because isn’t it true…
What is in each of us, will eventually pour out of us.
Tweet ThisAnd how can we get teachings, without first consecreating our hearts to the Holy One?
For me, I think the problem was, I stuffed in doctrine and teaching, Bible information and even Sunday School leasding. I stuffed it all in, because the goal at the time was to be a “good person”….
No one talked about us being sinners saved solely by GRACE. No one informed me, that I first needed to repent and abandon my ways, before filling my soul with Truth.
It was a lie…this idea that putting on the armor would get us to perfection…especially if the enemy lived in any relative, close proximity.
In fact, I think I performed better, prior to this understanding of consecration to Him. I dressed better, had lipstick on constantly. Kept my hair neater, was thinner….
But John the Baptist had no phsical assemblance of “goodness”, and wasn’t He most closely coorelated to Jesus?
And why, even Jesus, scripture says, had no outward appeal reflected in Him. He was cumly, rejected by all…
Yet, God chose to send this outward, unappealing man, Jesus, as His flesh, this God-son we say we worship while covering ourselves in plastic, performances, and praises of men.
My Prayer
Oh God, help us to see, outward appearances mean nothing to you. Perfection. Good works. Self-striving, showing the world we are someone important…has no purpose or gain.
We can’t earn our way to you. We can’t come by our striving, good works, or perfect presentations…
In fact, you went after the blind, the broken, the leper, those exiled from the city, the prostitiute no one would talk you…
You saw those nobody else thought worth seeing…you came to those others discarded as worthless or too needy…
You are the God of the broken. The alien. The orphan.
You are the God who turns this world upside-down and says the proud will be cast down, while
the humble and contrite are found…
Oh God, I need your understanding. Your wisdom. Your perspective….
Give me eyes to see as you see people. A heart that is abandoned to Your will and way.
For you charge us to PREACH to the people, baring solemn testimonty that YOU are the God-appointed and God-ordained judge of the living and the dead.
False prophets lie and tell of ease and comfort. Their dreams are self-exhaulting, not humbling and convicting.
Yet, scripture says, (Acts 10:43) whoever believes AND gives himself over to God will enter His Kingdom….
Still, you know so well…we can be a nation of takers. While, you are looking for a people who have hazarded their lives for you sake (Acts 15:25-36)….
Those who count the cost and are willing to preach of your goodness and truth.
You tell us, those who stand in your counsel, turn back people from their wicked ways…they don’t just talk about prosperity and good feelings, their own personal gain in light of your gospel….
We are bondservants God…those who were set free, and now willingly shackle ourselves to your will and your way…
We know the cost, as your blood dripped that day. The weight of our sin, as you took it to the cross…offering us this FREE GIFT of salvation that we couldn’t gain or earn…
We love you Lord. We love that we can come abandoned and stripped from this idea that we have anything we can bring to your feet, that might give you glory…
- We only shine because of your reflection
- We only breath because of your spirit living in us
- We only have because of you offering and giving over to us everything…
Come. Lord, come have your way in our hearts…so that our lives will be humble in repentence, recognizing we don’t play a part. Our only call is to pour ourselves out from everything we aren’t.
- Have your way.
- Make us weak.
- Mold us into instruments of your peace.
- Make us vessels not filled with ourselves, but giving over to your mercy…
Father, we come, desperate for your grace.
