Meekness is Not Surrender!

Scripture: Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

Truth for Today:

Jesus said,  "Come follow me." His disciples followed, and Jesus sat down and taught them saying, “Blessed are the meek.” What is meekness? 

As a young girl my dad was in the field working and an  an angry man attacked him. In the process the angered man hit my dad on the side of the face tearing his ear half off. The angered man left, and my dad rushed to the hospital where it took 7 stitches to sew up his ear. Interesting enough, my dad was told a man just left who had been there getting his hand wrapped. He had crushed his knuckles on my dad's face.

I was furious. My dad did nothing. At first, I though my dad had demonstrated weakness, cowardice, and even an inability to stand firm on his convictions. I could not understand why he would not fight back or at least take out a warrant for the angered man. When I questioned his actions, His answer was simple; “I have spent my whole life trying to share the gospel of Jesus with this man. To fight back would have made me no different than he.” For the first time in my life as a young girl I saw the character of Jesus in my dad. 

Meekness is not a surrender of our right; meekness is our right to surrender, believing that our God will vindicate us (Romans 12:19). Jesus was a model of meekness. Jesus modeled the character of God. He did not press his rights nor did he trample the rights of others. Jesus was a true gentleman. A believer surrenders his will to the Holy Spirit enabling him to produce this quality of meekness in us. Just as a master brings the power of an untamed horse under control, the Holy Spirit brings the believer under control.

What is there to gain from meekness? Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” As we bend our knees, humble ourselves, and surrender to God’s authority in our lives we no longer have to struggle within our own strength. We can rest in knowing that we will not only experience the new earth but we will receive the promise of God to give us love, peace, and joy.

Prayer:

Dear Father, may I surrender to the Holy Spirit's work in my life as he brings my untamed spirit under control. Produce in me love, peace, and joy. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

How Important is What You Believe?

Where has life taken you? Are you hopeful? Is your life reduced to chance or do you believe that there is a God of the universe that can orchestrate everything about your life? A person's belief paradigm is the core of what and who they are, and how they live their life. It governs their thoughts, words, and actions. Regardless the circumstance or situation we do not have to live as one without hope.

You see, there was a time in my life that that I believed in Jesus died for me. I believed the truths about Him and the miracles he was able to perform in peoples lives, but I did not trust him to orchestrate my life. I was one of those Christians that prayed with one knee on the ground in submission but kept the other one up holding onto my independence. You know that kind. 

In October of 2007 I was born again and baptized signifying my death to self (flesh) and rebirth in the Spirit. God changed my thinking about everything. I accepted the truth that we live in the world but we do not have to be of the world. My paradigm now was based on God's word, not the world's or my own.   This video clip demonstrates a paradigm change, how one surrenders their born nature and accepts a new spirit, a new set if ideas, a new way of thinking.  It defies what man would say is the impossible.

Is this really possible... to undergo a paradigm change,  to defy the sin nature within us, thereby allowing God to work in and through us daily? Yes, however, we cannot do it within ourselves. Regardless the situation or circumstances there is an order to how God works in our lives. Ervin Padgett, a saint, now in heaven, understood this so well and quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14 at every opportunity that he had. I can hear him now, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will heal their land." According to this scripture if we humble ourselves to our Maker, Savior, and Lord he will work in our lives to orchestrate his will for our lives, he will heal our land. Christian the Lion had to surrender his will to the will of his owners and in doing so defied his natural instincts and thus had a loving relationship with his owners.

Wicked ways? Oops did I say that? We do not want to use or accept that we all have junk in our lives, things that are wicked, against ourself, others, and God, but we do. According to this scripture in order for our Maker, Savior, and Lord to work in our lives there are some conditions that need to be met. 1) humble yourself, Surrender. 2) Ask for forgiveness from God first, and the hard part, to forgive others. 3) Seek God's face first and foremost in your life. Read, study, and meditate on his Word 4) Turn from your ways and practice His Ways. Then, God will heal your land. 

What seems impossible to you? (health, hope, love, job, children, restored relationships, guilt free life, etc. ) Luke 18:27 tells us that "What is impossible with man is possible with God." God loves us, he is our true friend. The song writer summed it up when he scripted the words, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grieves bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer." Surrender your life to Christ and let him Heal your land.

Is Jesus such a friend that you can cast your cares upon Him? Share your story.