received gifts...

Riding in the car...

talking to a loved one...

he shared what's been revealed in his heart...

Longing... that's the word that seems to fit best...

I long to help people who are broken... lost... hurting...

but I know I can't... and I'm just paralyzed...

I feel wholly inadequate... useless...

Listening to his heart...

placing my hand on his arm...

I said... That's a gift... a spiritual gift...

the gift of compassion... mercy...

And it reminded me...

when we receive Him in our hearts...

we receive gifts...

but we don't always recognize them...

or know what to do with them...

Spiritual gifts... take time to perceive...

and practice to learn how to use...

My word to the loved one was...

There is nothing you can do...

but you have the power of the One who can do all things... in you...

Like all of us... with spiritual gifts...

we can only use them... at His direction...

and in His power... for them to be a blessing...

to His Kingdom...

Returned gifts... from others...

can reveal... received gifts from Him...

What have others given you...?

does it help you see what you have received...?

The secret to spiritual gifts received...

is to return them to Him...

for His use... His direction... His guidance...

through you...

This can be difficult...

and involves dying to self...

to use His gifts... His way...

surrender... is the word...

He blesses us with gifts... freedoms...

so we can serve Him... through others...

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another,

as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one

who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the 

strength that God supplies --- in order that in everything

God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory

and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV

Ask Him to help you recognize your gifts...

ask Him to teach you how to use them...

tell Him they are His... for His use...

Amen...

Shabbat Shalom...

Feeling the burden of all He calls me to...
plus things I want to do...

In the midst... He calls me to lay it all down...

A call to Sabbath...
24 hours... beginning tomorrow...
sunrise to sunrise...

No Fitbit...
no writing...
no prep for ministry...
no work...

I feel like I'm being sent to time-out...
forced... like a toddler... to take a nap...

The immature Believer in me says...
I don't have time for a Sabbath...
I don't have time to rest...

He says... Trust Me...

Unbelief is tiresome...

I feel like crying...

surrendering to the call...

Shabbat Shalom...

Sabbath Peace...

Hah...!

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

Exodus 20:8-10 ESV

Lord Jesus... I trust You...

forgive me for toting things that aren't mine to tote...

forgive me for carrying Your responsibility...

and forgetting it is Yours...

Help me to find... Shabbat Shalom...

Amen...

Prince of Peace...

Wow...
this is just one of those weeks...
where things feel totally out of control...

Earlier today...
stress tried to take hold...
rule my life...

When stress takes the lead...
it's hard to concentrate on one thing...
it's hard to do the things that take time...

Stress just makes me want to get things done...!
Anything...
some thing...
to try to alleviate the stress...
get something off the to-do list...

Instead of letting stress have its way...
I went to the Lord...
the Prince of Peace...

I prayed...
confessed...
asked...
thanked...
trusted...

Over the next few hours...
peace began to reign...

Still much to do...
still unsure how it will all get done...
circumstances remain unchanged...

But something within... has...

I can't explain it...
it makes no sense...
instead of stress...
a peaceful joy persists...

Oh Lord... You truly are the Prince of Peace...

I praise You for Your presence in my life...

I surrender to Your rule...

trust You to reign me in...

Amen... Amen... Amen...

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:5-7 ESV

surrender...

Today... brought to the point of complete surrender...

I can't do anything apart from Him...

I give in... give up... surrender... the current call to Him...

Wondering...
waiting...
to see how He'll accomplish...
what I believe He's called me to do...

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2 ESV

surrender...

Surrender... the word echoes... driving home... at the end of a battle-filled week...

Not just my battles... but those of others too...

surrender... 1 a: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand... b: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another 2 a: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)

---Merrian-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.)

Surrender... yield control... give up...

So many needs... so many prayers... I don't even know how to pray... only desiring His will... surrendering my needs... and others'... to Him...

It's all His anyway... in His sovereignty...

"See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me;

I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal;

and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. ..."

Deuteronomy 32:39 ESV

Surrender...

anxiety...
fear...
desire...
the unknown...
the future...
the past...

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Surrender it all to Him... in prayer...

I learned that faith isn't tested by how often God answers my prayers with a yes, but by my willingness to continue serving Him and thanking Him, even when I don't have a clue as to what He's doing.

---Gary L. Thomas, Seeking the Face of God

Surrender... learning to trust... His answer... whether it's... Yes... or... No...

Trusting that He is good... in all He allows...

The Lord is good to all,

and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Psalm 145:9 ESV

Giving it up... to Him...

Related fare...

no... a hard lesson...

waging war... requires... surrender...

When everything's a battle... waging war... requires... surrender...

surrender... 1 a: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand... b: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another 2 a: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)...

Surrender... to His sovereignty...
Surrender... to His will...
Surrender... to His Word...
Surrender... to His way...

Surrender accepts His plan and purpose... in whatever He allows...
Surrender willingly yields power... control... to Him...
Surrender obeys His call... His guidance... His wisdom...
Surrender chooses to follow... lean on... His understanding...

"... not my will, but Yours be done..."

Luke 22:42

In surrender to Him... we find peace... and victory...

And this is the victory that has overcome the world --- our faith.

1John 5:4 ESV

surrendered...

This morning's call to fast... began with a desire to argue...
but I considered Him... Wonder-full...
His ways unlike mine... His thoughts way beyond...

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

So I surrendered... 

knowing it will be good in the end...

knowing He has purpose in the call...

knowing He will provide the strength...

And the refrain... it began to echo in my spirit...

I surrender all... I surrender all...

all to Thee my blessed Savior...

I surrender all...

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seeing the Father... in the midst of worship...

Sunday morning worship... in the midst of singing... I Surrender All... I see it... in a pew... just across and down from where I stand...

A father standing next to his daughter... she just 5 years old... he stroking her hair... looking down at her from time to time... standing at her side...

I sense my Father saying... He does the same to me...

Then I see... on the opposite end... of the same pew with the father stroking hair... a grandfather holding his granddaughter... perhaps she's three...

She cradles his face in her small hands as he sings... her smile wide... she snuggles her head on his shoulder... arms around his neck... he holding her firmly... securely...

And I sense my Father say... This is how I carry you...

The hymn continues... I surrender all...

And I wonder... How could I not surrender all... to the One who made the Way... for me to get to my Father... who stands at my side... and carries me close... with His love...?

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