Are You In?

Tonight's message was worthy of note taking and I took several pages.  As I filter through these notes I think they are worthy to share along with my many questions and thoughts. The first part is something I long to understand and desire the skills to apply.  The speaker touched on discipleship-pouring your life into someone and then the person pours their life into someone else.  To reproduce ourselves - actually Christ into an others life.  I have attempted this many times but since I have no example for myself, I feel I am just treading water.  You cannot take someone further than what you understand. 

The passage of the message was Luke 9:57-62.  "Are we all in?"  Have we let go of our very life to follow Christ?  Have we truly surrendered to Him?  Surrender means yield to the power of another.  Have you completely yielded to the power of Christ?  Do not look to others in comparison to see  how you are doing but look to God's Word, it is the standard of perfection.  God know our hearts.  He looks past our words into our hearts.  Yes-would be an easy answer but I believe for me to get to this place of total abandonment - it is going to take some wrestling with God as Jacob did. My flesh keeps crawling off the alter.  It does not want to die. 

I am thankful we are not left to our own devises in dealing with our flesh.  "I have been crucified with Christ , it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me."  God has given us a deposit of our inheritance - the Holy Spirit.  He lives inside us and He convicts of sin and He gives the power to overcome the flesh. 

Friend be willing to lay down your life, God by the Holy Spirit will enable you to crucify the flesh and live an abundant life!