The Servant’s Primary Goal

But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions.
- 2 Corinthians 5:9

“Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him.
I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. my worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less no matter how lofty it may sound?”

Father, if it ever is not, plant reminders and confirmation in my life that shows me how to keep my primary goal of being “approved to God.” I believe that my public worth to You is weighed out by my private actions. Let my private actions become more and more focused. I love You God.

The Master Will Judge

Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10

“Paul says that we must all, preachers and other people alike, “appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” But if you will learn here and now to live under the scrutiny of Christ’s pure light, your final judgement will bring you only delight in seeing the work God has done in you. Live constantly reminding yourself of the judgement seat of Christ, and walk in the knowledge of the holiness He has given you.”

Jesus, I need to truly learn to live in remembrance of Your judgement seat. I am way too laid back about the sin in my life. Father, please have mercy on me I pray that the Holy Spirit will nudge me and remind me to be heavenly minded at all times.

The Discipline of Dismay

Back on the road, they set out for Jerusalem. Jesus had a head start on them, and they were following, puzzled and not just a little afraid. He took the Twelve and began again to go over what to expect next.
- Mark 10:32

“The discipline of dismay is an essential lesson that a disciple must learn. The danger is that we tend to look back on our times of obedience and on our past sacrifices to God in an effort to keep our enthusiasm for Him strong. But when the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it ill come the ability to follow Jesus truly, which bring inexpressibly wonderful joy.”

Lord, this feels so direct to me. I am afraid of many things that are happening in my life right now. Please give me the strength and character to endure. I’ve never been a very strong or focused person, I just pray that I can become one. Father, bless me with the character I need to overcome.

Yielding

Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do.
- Romans 6:16

“The first thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what controls and dominates me is that I am the one responsible for having yielded myself to whatever it may be. If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame because somewhere in the past I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I obey God, I do so because at some point in my life I yielded to Him.
Yielding to Jesus will break every kind of slavery in any person’s life.”

Jesus, I want to yield totally to You. I don’t know why I’ve struggled so much with this throughout my life, but I will not cease to try everyday to surrender totally to You. I pray that any day in which I do not yield to You, I am told and inspired to do so.

Have You Felt the Pain Inflicted by the Lord?

Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
- John 21:17

“Have you ever felt the pain, inflicted by the Lord, at the very center of your being, deep down in the most sensitive area of your life? The devil never inflicts pain there, and neither can sin nor human emotions. Nothing can cut through to that part of our being but the Word of God. Our Lord never asks questions until the perfect time. Then we will realize that we do love Him far more deeply than our words can ever say.”

God, convict me. Seize my heart and make it truly Yours. Search through it all and conquer what is still rebellious. Let me learn to fight myself for You. Your word is my light, my hope and my strength. Your will is mine, help me see it, live and teach it.

God’s Total Surrender to Us

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
- John 3:16

“If we are truly surrendered, we will never be aware of our own efforts to remain surrendered. Beware of talking about surrender if you know nothing about it. In fact, you will never know anything about it until you understand that John 3:16 means that God completely and absolutely gave Himself to us. In our surrender, we must give our selves to God in the same way He gave Himself to us. In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us–totally, unconditionally, and without reservation.”

God, I give myself to You. Totally, unconditionally and without reservation. It is because of what You’ve done for me that I am even capable of giving myself to You. You are my Father and I trust You completely. I will continue to try to find more ways to give myself each day.

20120210: Song of the Week

Late entry this week. I just heard this song this morning! It just happened to come on ex.fm and I couldn’t be more glad it did…

Cate Le Bon is a Welsh born singer who writes in a vintage style. She sings in two languages, Welsh and English! Don’t worry though, this is not that crappy brit-pop or euro-trash many people like just because it’s from somewhere else, she could easily be an American artist. I think you’ll like it.