by Rick Warren We are not our own bosses to live or die as we ourselves might choose.
Living or dying we follow the Lord. Either way we are his. Romans 14:7-8
(LB) The paradox of surrender is that it produces power and victory. Stubborn
temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when handed
over to him.As Joshua approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God,
fell in worship before him, and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to
a stunning victory at Jericho. Surrender doesn't weaken you, it strengthens you. When you are surrendered
to God, you don't have to fear or surrender to anything or anyone else. The
founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, once said, "The greatness of a
man's power is the measure of his surrender." Why surrender?Because you belong to your Creator. God has a right to direct your life: "We
are not our own bosses to live or die as we ourselves might choose" (Romans
14:7 LB). "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We
are his people ..." (Psalm 100:3 NLT). Because Christ bought you with his sacrifice. The Bible says, "And He died
for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for
the One who died for them and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:15 HCSB). When you surrender to Christ, you fulfill the very purpose he died for - not
just to save you from hell, but also to save you from self-centeredness! We
Christians do not live for ourselves, but for our Savior. "At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and
wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender
yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes" (Romans
6:19 TEV). Because God modeled it first. He took the initiative, surrendering Jesus for
our benefit. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ..."
(John 3:16 NAB).Our surrender is the only reasonable response to that kind of love. You
cannot love Christ without surrendering to him.
Living or dying we follow the Lord. Either way we are his. Romans 14:7-8
(LB) The paradox of surrender is that it produces power and victory. Stubborn
temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when handed
over to him.As Joshua approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God,
fell in worship before him, and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to
a stunning victory at Jericho. Surrender doesn't weaken you, it strengthens you. When you are surrendered
to God, you don't have to fear or surrender to anything or anyone else. The
founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, once said, "The greatness of a
man's power is the measure of his surrender." Why surrender?Because you belong to your Creator. God has a right to direct your life: "We
are not our own bosses to live or die as we ourselves might choose" (Romans
14:7 LB). "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We
are his people ..." (Psalm 100:3 NLT). Because Christ bought you with his sacrifice. The Bible says, "And He died
for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for
the One who died for them and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:15 HCSB). When you surrender to Christ, you fulfill the very purpose he died for - not
just to save you from hell, but also to save you from self-centeredness! We
Christians do not live for ourselves, but for our Savior. "At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and
wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender
yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes" (Romans
6:19 TEV). Because God modeled it first. He took the initiative, surrendering Jesus for
our benefit. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ..."
(John 3:16 NAB).Our surrender is the only reasonable response to that kind of love. You
cannot love Christ without surrendering to him.
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