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| I Surrender |
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All throughout the night, I woke up singing a song called "Surrender" by Lincoln Brewster. It is the first song you'll hear on my page.God has been dealing with me on alot of issues in my life. My stubborness, for one. My idea of what I need to do to draw even closer to Him. My fear of failure and worrying.
God speaks to me through songs and nature more than anything. Our pastor has been sending us devotionals everyday and yesterday's hit me....a lightbulb moment!
This is the part that hit me so hard, I read it over and over, I highlighted what really spoke to me :
1) Read John 15:1—5 again. 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every `branch' that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. 15:3 Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.
Christ has already spoken, “I am the Vine.” He now repeats the words, moving us toward the understanding that the only way to obey the command “abide in me” is to have eyes and heart fixed upon Jesus, the Vine. 2) Christians have struggled with understanding what abiding is. We have spent so much effort, in vain, trying to attain it. And why? Because the attention was turned to abiding as a work we have to do instead of the Living Christ, in whom we are to be kept abiding. We think of abiding as a continual strain and effort; we forget that it means rest from effort to the one who has found the place of His dwelling. 3) Note the word abide is not needful; Christ used it so often because it is the very key to the Christian life. He would have us understand it in its truest sense: Come out of every other place, other trust, and other occupation…come out of self with its reasonings and efforts; come and rest in what I shall do. Let our every thought and aim to be fixed upon Him.
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| Abiding as rest. Hmm, that is an interesting thought Cindy! |
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| Mike: it's truly freeing.......I can quit struggling....honestly, no pastor has ever explained it that way to me |
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Gotta keep reminding myself of that! Music and nature are two of my favorite (and easiest) methods of learning, too. Thanks for sharing! |
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Sukkar |
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June 18, 2008 at 12:34pm |
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| Cindy Lou...love it...I don't think I need to post my thoughts on this because I think you already know what I am thinking...Love you and beautiful song... |
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| How often we make simple things difficult! Thanks for sharing. I also am spoken to through nature and music. Those are two great components God uses to communicate through. Blessings to you. |
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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30) Cindy, what struck me in your blog was that abiding (an action word) can somehow equate to resting. It's very paradoxical. Just like when Jesus tells us to take on a yoke to find rest. Yokes typically serve one purpose, to accomplish work. In our normal way of viewing things, Jesus' admonition does not compute! Lately I've been focusing on this very thing. |
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Shirley, I have the bad habit of making simple stuff hard, LOL
Mike: WOW! I didn't think of that......was busy absorbing the resting :) But you bring up a wonderful point!!!!
Other words for abiding are unceasing, enduring, imperishable, lasting, permanent, lasting, continuing, remaining, constant, persisting, eternal, firm, and unchanging.
Definition is lasting for a long time.
Aren't all of these what Jesus is? :) So, He is my abider and I want to be an abider, LOLOL
But it's an action that I have to take to rest in Him :) |
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here is your confirmation
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
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