Posts with the tag “surrender”

“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” - Jonah 1:3 When God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance, Jonah ran. Not just emotionally or spiritually, he literally ran in the opposite direction. God said to go east to Nineveh, and Jonah hopped a ship headed west to Tarshish. Why? Because obedience felt too uncomfortable. Nineveh was dangerous. It was full of p...  Read More

"Everyone who is saved is sent." - John 20:21 There is an uncomfortable truth we have to acknowledge as believers: being sent by God is rarely comfortable. In fact, if you look closely at the Bible, you’ll see a pattern. Every time God sends someone, there is discomfort. Being obedient to His call usually means stepping into the unknown, facing fear, or giving up something you thought you could no...  Read More

"I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me." - John 15:5 We live in a world that praises self-sufficiency. We are taught from a young age to stand on our own two feet, to work hard, and to prove ourselves. So it is no surprise that many of us struggle to grasp what true spiritual dependence looks like. Yet...  Read More

"Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’" - Mark 10:51 When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus in Mark 10, the crowd tried to silence him. But he just got louder. He knew what he wanted, and when Jesus asked him directly, “What do you want me to do for you?” He did not hesitate. He had a clear desire, and he was not afraid...  Read More

"If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself…" – Matthew 16:24 You do not have to teach a child to be selfish. It just comes naturally. Maybe that is why a story like this hits home. A mom was making pancakes for her two young boys, Tom and Ryan, when a fight broke out over who would get the first one. Seizing the moment, she said, “If Jesus were here, He would say, ‘Let my brother ha...  Read More

"For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?" – Matthew 16:26 Jesus never asked empty questions. Every word He spoke was purposeful, meant to cut through the noise and reach the heart. In Matthew 16, He asks one of the most piercing questions of all. What does it really profit a person if they gain the world, b...  Read More

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" - Matthew 6:33 Everybody wants to feel secure. You want to know that the bills will get paid. That your kids will be alright. That your body will stay healthy. That the people you love will stick around. But the more you try to control everything, the more it slips through your fingers. That is...  Read More