Showing posts with label June 16. Show all posts
Showing posts with label June 16. Show all posts

Thursday, June 16, 2011

John 12:24

Driving down through the beautiful, bucolic farmlands of south central Pennsylvania, I noticed the gloriously golden wheat fields and pondered these words spoken by Jesus.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But, if it dies, it produces many seeds.

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Glorious Father-
Thank you for this beautiful word picture. Like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to live anew, I lay down all my dreams and worldly desires to follow you. Plant me wherever you want to produce a harvest for your Kingdom. Press down on me, crush me, and break me. Soften me and release me to press upward to reproduce an enormous multiplication of blessings.

God please crucify me with Jesus - fully yielded, completely surrendered, totally submitted. Use the problems and challenges that are part of my every day life to put me to death. Then raise me, like a kernel of wheat to an abundant ... victorious ... blessed ... fruitful ... powerful ... Christ-like ... Spirit-filled life. I love you Lord and want to be more like you! In Jesus name, I surrender all. Amen.

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What do you need to surrender in order to reproduce abundant blessings for the Kingdom of God?

Make a deliberate determination to be interested only in what interests God. Intentionally, remove everything from your life that keeps you from following God's dreams and plans. Concentrate on the Son who did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. This joy will be yours too, if only you will die to yourself and devote your life to Him.

O. Chambers writes (06/19) in My Utmost For His Highest, "The secret of a disciple's life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies" - it will spring up and change the entire landscape.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

All-Knowing One,
You are my Leader and Guide on this journey through life. When I try to figure out where You're taking me, I only end up lost and confused. Who can understand You? My thoughts are not Your thoughts, neither are my ways Your ways. Just as the heavens are far above the earth, so are Your ideas far superior and brighter than mine. You are always right, always good and always loving.

You, O God, are perfect in knowledge. Exalted in power, who has taught You? No one! Who can teach You? No one! You are the Master Mind of the universe. No mind on earth is equal to You. No one can begin to grasp Your greatness. Yet, we feebly try to.

Who am I to question You? Surely, I have foolishly spoken things I don't fully understand. A haughty know-it-all, I despise myself for my own ignorance and arrogance. Discrediting Your holy justice, I've condemned You to justify myself. Who in the world do I think I am?

Please humble me Lord Jesus and teach me Your ways. Give me a fresh revelation of Who You are and I will acknowledge You in all my ways. With a proper perspective of You, I'll trust You with all my heart and not rely on my own foolish wisdom. When I read my Bible You will light my way, make my path straight and lead me on the highway to happiness and holiness. Thank You for this guarantee if I obey. Amen.

God promises to make your paths straight if: You trust Him with all your heart, stop relying on yourself, and acknowledge Him in all your ways.

The way to trust Him and acknowledge Him is to know Him. The only way to know Him is through His Word, the Bible.