Philippians 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.
I surrendered my life to the Lord when I was 16, at the Bill Rice Ranch. For me that day it was all about giving my life and future to God and no longer pursuing my own selfish goals, but rather choosing to seek God's will for my life. I wanted to honor God with my life, but was I really willing to do anything that he called me to? I can honestly tell you that up until recently that answer was no. I believe that I, as many Christians are today. was willing to give God my life as long as I could still somewhat be in control and if whatever his will for my life was in some way still benefited me. However, it is easy to see upon close examination that what we call surrendering in fact is not surrendering at all. God wants to be in control of every single aspect of our lives. I can promise you one thing, he can do a lot more with our lives than any of us can. But the big question is are you really willing to surrender your life fully to God even if it may mean sacrificing your life as you know it in order to fulfill his calling? Are you willing to follow God's will even if it means that to the world you maybe seen as insignificant? Are you willing to answer the call even if that may lead you to a strange country which is out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to die to self and live with reckless abandonment because the cause of Christ and spreading of the Gospel is more important than the very life that you have? For many of us we may say yes I am willing, but do our lives really back our commitment? When the time comes will we really be ready for the sacrifice? I agree this is not an easy thing to do, and one of the first questions is why. When deciding if living a fully surrendered life is worth it, I believe many people come to the question of why should I? I believe this question is answered in Philippians 2:5-9
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.
As Christians we are to be "Christ Like" and as you see in vs. 5 it tells us we ought to have the same mind in us as Christ had. Jesus is the Son of God yet he came to Earth in a lowly fashion, served others, humbled himself and was OBEDIENT even though his obedience lead him to death on the cross. He could have came to Earth as king, ruler of all, he could have reigned over those who persecuted him yet he endured affliction. Jesus Christ came to this Earth with one purpose, to fulfill his fathers will. And as we see in the garden before his death that it may not have always been what he wanted, but regardless of the cost he was obedient to his father. Jesus Christ loved us so much that he held nothing back. He gave it all for us and we ought to give our all for him. When we reach the point where we realize that nothing we face is greater than our God, and that we love him so much that no sacrifice is to great, then we will be FULLY SURRENDERED Your faithfulness will be rewarded by God one day, just as Christ's was and is (VS 9). God Bless and may he do a work in each and everyone of your lives.
Forever Indebted,
Corbett Casteen
I surrendered my life to the Lord when I was 16, at the Bill Rice Ranch. For me that day it was all about giving my life and future to God and no longer pursuing my own selfish goals, but rather choosing to seek God's will for my life. I wanted to honor God with my life, but was I really willing to do anything that he called me to? I can honestly tell you that up until recently that answer was no. I believe that I, as many Christians are today. was willing to give God my life as long as I could still somewhat be in control and if whatever his will for my life was in some way still benefited me. However, it is easy to see upon close examination that what we call surrendering in fact is not surrendering at all. God wants to be in control of every single aspect of our lives. I can promise you one thing, he can do a lot more with our lives than any of us can. But the big question is are you really willing to surrender your life fully to God even if it may mean sacrificing your life as you know it in order to fulfill his calling? Are you willing to follow God's will even if it means that to the world you maybe seen as insignificant? Are you willing to answer the call even if that may lead you to a strange country which is out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to die to self and live with reckless abandonment because the cause of Christ and spreading of the Gospel is more important than the very life that you have? For many of us we may say yes I am willing, but do our lives really back our commitment? When the time comes will we really be ready for the sacrifice? I agree this is not an easy thing to do, and one of the first questions is why. When deciding if living a fully surrendered life is worth it, I believe many people come to the question of why should I? I believe this question is answered in Philippians 2:5-9
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.
As Christians we are to be "Christ Like" and as you see in vs. 5 it tells us we ought to have the same mind in us as Christ had. Jesus is the Son of God yet he came to Earth in a lowly fashion, served others, humbled himself and was OBEDIENT even though his obedience lead him to death on the cross. He could have came to Earth as king, ruler of all, he could have reigned over those who persecuted him yet he endured affliction. Jesus Christ came to this Earth with one purpose, to fulfill his fathers will. And as we see in the garden before his death that it may not have always been what he wanted, but regardless of the cost he was obedient to his father. Jesus Christ loved us so much that he held nothing back. He gave it all for us and we ought to give our all for him. When we reach the point where we realize that nothing we face is greater than our God, and that we love him so much that no sacrifice is to great, then we will be FULLY SURRENDERED Your faithfulness will be rewarded by God one day, just as Christ's was and is (VS 9). God Bless and may he do a work in each and everyone of your lives.
Forever Indebted,
Corbett Casteen
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