Tag Archives for Spiritual growth

Death.

What would life be like if I was actually fully surrendered to God?
Completely.

Perhaps the greatest thing that God has impressed upon my heart in the past few months is death.
Death to myself.

Imagine if I let go of everything in my life that sought to bring glory to myself. Imagine if I literally began to live out what John 3:30 says, “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Imagine if I truly surrendered to God everything that once was… everything that once captivated my heart.

What would happen?

God would take me and make me like Him. 

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Colossians 3:3

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20

“For if I build again those things which were destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.”
Galatians 2:18

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus; that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-15

“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
Romans 6:6

Death is a dark and ugly word. It is a gruesome and often painful act.  But it needs to be said, it needs to be felt, and it needs to be lived, if we ever hope to have LIFE in Christ.

Death to self is the means to life in Christ.

It is impossible to live for Christ without first dying with Him.

7:58 P.M.

     I want so badly to be faithful to You God but time after time I forsake you. I find pleasure in the most worthless things… Things that should never compare to You… And yet I allow them to.

     There is so much that needs to be changed in me… So much! Sometimes it is really discouraging to think about just how much I need to grow. But last week I was reminded that discontentment with my current spiritual state is a sign of surrender to the call. I mustn’t settle for things as they are! I must be one who continually cries to God, “I’m not there yet… I’m not even close!!!”

     To live in Christ is to change. Constantly.

2:44 A.M.

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs…”
Matthew 10:6-10

Lord, You have called me to something GREAT. So often I forget this. You have given me the privilege of sharing You with the world… You have put Your words in my mouth and Your Holy Spirit within me that I might do great things in Your name.

Lately I have had such a desire to be used by You. But You keep reminding me of a great truth that I often forget: Before You desire to use me, You desire to shepherd me. You want ME. First and foremost, You want my heart. It is so easy for me to get caught up in doing and working but did You not say Yourself, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom I sent”? (John 6:29)

This is You want from me, Lord: a heart that believes that You ARE.

“Before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 8:58

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6

The part of the Matthew 10 passage that really caught me was verses 9 and 10. You told the disciples to basically take nothing with them… to travel light. Lord, how easy it is for me to lose my focus and carry along a whole bunch of unnecessary extras that weigh me down. Help me to be focused on You and the  things that please You. Help me Lord to lay down the weight and the sin that so easily ensnares me! My pride… My desire to lift myself up and be seen… my vanity… the feeding of my flesh…

Lord may You become greater and may I become less!

Lord help me to return to You with all my heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning! (Joel 2:12)

Where is my heart? Where is my treasure? Is it with You, Lord?

No. It has not been.

I have had many idols competing for Your throne in my heart. But I cast down those things now and pour out my heart before You. Your love is better than life, therefore my lips will praise You! (Psalm 63:3)

I want You.

I need You.

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:38-39

“…the fear of the Lord is his treasure.”
Isaiah 33:6

Little Love Notes: Put Yourself First.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…”
Phillipians 2:12

Lately I have often found myself thinking thoughts such as “I need to develop greater discipline in my life so that if it is God’s will for me, I can be a better wife and mother in the future.” Or thoughts such as “I need to start interceding more so that the souls of the kids at our youth group may be saved.” While these two thoughts in and of themselves are great, it just seems as though my motivation has been a little bit off. The motive behind why I do what I do should not simply be for the benefit of people but ultimately for the glory of God.

I have really been learning in my life lately that it is very possible to be doing all of the right things and yet have it all wrong.

So easily we get caught up in ministry opportunities, raising godly families, and all of the other beautiful and great things that present themselves in the Christian life. As we get caught up in doing all of this great “stuff” we forget what is truly important: our first love.

More than God desires to use us, He desires to know us.

The ultimate reason for our existence is to know God intimately and personally. As we do the things that God has called us to do we must never forget this. It is so easy to care so much about the souls of others that we lose focus of the condition of our own.

Our salvation is of the upmost importance to God and honestly, in order for us to even be able do any of the great “stuff” well, our salvation must also be of the upmost importance to us. Daily seek to know God more than you did yesterday. Make growing closer to God the greatest priority in your life. 

Put yourself first.