SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY JOHN 12:20-26
'26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.'
Do you desire God's best in life? And do you hope to become the person He created you to be, able to accomplish all He has planned? Most likel, your answer is affirmative to both questions. But are you willing for the Lord to do whatever is necessary to bring about full submission in your life?
The third inquiry oftentimes does not receive a resounding "yes." Yet in order for us to enjoy the best of God's blessings and to blossom into the people we were designed to b e, we have to surrender our will. Let me be the first to admit that itis not an easy process.
All of us have certain desires and habits that we simply do n ot want to relinquish. Today's passage teaches us that dying to ourselves is necessary before we can truly live for God.
As you would expect, that is inevitably painfull. It would be much easier if we could just choose to give up our stubborn wills. But according to Scripture, when we become believers, we retain unrighteous behavior batterns, which can be rather ingrained. God has to permit enough diffidculty to enter our lives so that our old "flesh" tendencies are broken. Olny then can we yield our hearts to the Lord without reservation.
Though it is hard to understand, our heavenly Father allows pain because of His great love. Just as a parent hates for his child to hurt, God takes no pleasure in our difficulty. But He so desires that we we experience fullness of life in Christ that He allows hardship to shape us.
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From Intouch Magazine August 2011 issue
'26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.'
Do you desire God's best in life? And do you hope to become the person He created you to be, able to accomplish all He has planned? Most likel, your answer is affirmative to both questions. But are you willing for the Lord to do whatever is necessary to bring about full submission in your life?
The third inquiry oftentimes does not receive a resounding "yes." Yet in order for us to enjoy the best of God's blessings and to blossom into the people we were designed to b e, we have to surrender our will. Let me be the first to admit that itis not an easy process.
All of us have certain desires and habits that we simply do n ot want to relinquish. Today's passage teaches us that dying to ourselves is necessary before we can truly live for God.
As you would expect, that is inevitably painfull. It would be much easier if we could just choose to give up our stubborn wills. But according to Scripture, when we become believers, we retain unrighteous behavior batterns, which can be rather ingrained. God has to permit enough diffidculty to enter our lives so that our old "flesh" tendencies are broken. Olny then can we yield our hearts to the Lord without reservation.
Though it is hard to understand, our heavenly Father allows pain because of His great love. Just as a parent hates for his child to hurt, God takes no pleasure in our difficulty. But He so desires that we we experience fullness of life in Christ that He allows hardship to shape us.
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From Intouch Magazine August 2011 issue
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