Surrendering Today

Ephesians 4&5 remind us of our New Life in Christ and how to live Godly lives. Surrendering our hearts, desires, temptations and actions to Christ is a constant, daily battle.  Through "Spiritual Breathing" (confessing sin in our lives & asking to be cleansed and renewed by Christ and the Holy Spirit).  It means giving control.  Making a decision to give-up your thoughts, actions, etc to the Holy Spirit and TRUSTING.  Literally it entails letting "Jesus take the wheel."
What is standing in the way between you and the Lord today?  Are you making the most of everyday?  Doing all that you can to Glorify Him?
What is holding you back?

• anger
• doubt
• pride
• foolishness
• greed
• lust
• drunkenness
• deceit  

Ephesians 4:25-31

I don't know what is getting at your heart today, but my selfishness is creeping in.  I'm hot, tired & at work.  My friend brought me subway and all I could think was how frustrated I was that he got me the wrong kind of soda.  My selfish heart ignored the fact that he cared so much to bring me lunch & that the rest of it was perfect.  I didn't deserve his gift or gesture of bringing my lunch, yet I still had a complaint... pretty selfish huh?  
How often do we complain when God gives us chances time and time again? How often we ignore the blessings and see only the negative??
Why do we groan about having to get out of bed in the morning instead of rejoicing that we even have a bed!.. a home? or that we are just plain still alive in the morning???

1 Chronicles 16:34"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever"

How great is a God that continues to love us despite how awful we are? 

I cannot count the number of times a day that I have to stop and confess my selfishness and sin to the Lord and surrender my heart to the Holy Spirit.  I cannot count how many times a day I try to control my day, my surroundings, events, or even others.. the people I love.  All I need to do is throw my hands up in the air and say "Marvelous God- Maker of Heaven and earth take it all" "Take it all.  You are sovereign and in control."

I despise my selfishness--- but I can't beat it on my own strength or own "goodness". It's only through Him that I can overcome it and be the woman that God desires me to be.  I must become less so that He can become more... give up my pride and give Him the Glory.

Christ's Example of Humility - Philippians 2:1-11

 

"2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [1] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, [2] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Remember 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us.