submission:why is it so easy to submit to the world
yet so hard to truly submit to the Lord?
Romans 6:6
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
i listened to an amazing sermon on the Christian radio this morning. the sermon teaching got me thinking about obedience to the Lord. the preacher touched on topics of sin, submission and if our hearts are truly in line with the Lord. he mentioned the hypocrisy of, for example, going to church and singing praise to the Lord while your mind is thinking about OTHER THINGS, things other than the Lord. i call this the double road mind, you've got your thoughts and priorities driving in 2 different directions instead of taking a one way street to meet and greet God... and God only. instead it seems like most people are sinning, like above, instead of submitting.
today's teacher said something that struck me. he said, "sin is suicide to the heart." - it doesn't get more blunt than this. that is the real deal right there wrapped up in six shocking words. wouldn't it be beautiful to quit and just submit? to fully surrender and trust in the Lord? to give Him our ALL and by that i mean EVERYTHING just as He desires? just as He deserves... i can speak for myself and say that i want this more than anything yet i find it hard to reach this place of grace when i still have sin in my face.
Romans 7:21-25
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
don't let my jazzy words distract you from the seriousness and importance of this post. we must all evaluate our hearts. we must all do a complete walk through to see what needs to be fixed. God sends the Holy Spirit to assist us in this walk through by convicting us in order to create change. God examines our hearts. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our thoughts, there is no running from or fooling God. He's on 24 hour security patrol, watching us.
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
i like to start my journal entries with a picture. sometimes it can take me quite a bit of time to find the perfect picture but when i see it i know it. the images i chose go hand in hand with motivation to write. it's all part of the party package. everyone loves a good deal! anyhow, i was looking for "submission" images and was led to oriental fans. when i think of oriental fans i think of beauty, elegance, grace, power, submission, illusion, seduction, exposure, deception, secrets, display... and so on. they can be opened, they can be closed. they can be used in many ways depending on their purpose or their "owner's" intentions. without further articulation or explanation just think about it - think about how all these definitions can easily be applied to mankind. i challenge you, and myself, today to look at where we truly stand with the Lord. where is your heart? what are your intentions? what is your purpose?
Romans 6:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
if our insides are pure we will radiate when opened up like memorizing oriental fans. how outstanding to be outstretched - to be pushed beyond our human limits to a point where you know the only thing truly holding you up, strong and stable, is God. He is holding you together because you have laid yourself in His Holy Hands. you have submitted to Him so He can open you up!
1 Peter 5:6
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you.
