Are you willing?
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Are you willing? This is the question The Lord asked me when I was in Africa last summer while attending Harvest School of Missions in Pemba, Mozambique. During this summer, my life was radically transformed. I have been home one year, and once again, the Lord asked me the same question about starting this blog. He reminded me of the e-mail I sent my friends and family while I was there, and He asked me to share it with you guys. I hope it blesses you like it once again has blessed me!
Are you willing?
This is the question the Lord has been asking me lately. Are you willing to give up your life? Are you willing to give up the comforts of home? Are you willing to give up your friends and family? Are you willing to give up your senses? Are you willing to allow me to fully cleanse what you watch and what you listen to? Are you willing to fully and truly die to yourself? Are you willing to be resurrected into the glory of righteousness? Are you willing to go wherever I take you? Are you really willing?
Man oh man is it so easy to just say YES LORD!!! But how much harder is it to really mean it?
“If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”
When He takes you across the world and throws you in an environment where we take bottled water showers every three days. Where there are no windows on the walls - just bars and mosquito nets. Where there are no "comforts of home". Where you walk out the gates and several children run up to you crying out mama I'm hungry - mama I'm thirsty. Where you walk through the village and see starving children. Where you are put in tough situations. Where there is disease surrounding you. Are you willing to still say yes or are you only willing to say yes when everything is easy? Or are you only willing to say yes when what He asks of you goes along with your lifestyle you are living currently?
Man has He totally and completely undone my heart. I know nothing but to kneel before Him, love Him, adore Him and truly say yes to whatever He has to offer.
“You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind and your neighbor as yourself.”
We are called to totally and completely love Him. Not just with a piece of us, but No deny ourselves and follow Him! I want to say yes because I know that whatever He has to offer is so much greater than anything I could ever dream of. I want to say yes because I have completely died to myself.
“but they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and it’s lusts.”
I am no longer living by any part of my flesh, but am totally undone by his living Spirit. We have all heard the saying that we shouldn't drive our own car, but allow Jesus to fully takeover and drive. "JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!!" But what if I was to tell you that actually our car is wrecked and gone. We now are in His bus because it's no longer our car. If it was our car, then it would still be our life. It would be about me. It's not about me!!! It's about the Most High King!! If it was my car I could go to certain places and say hey Jesus could you get in the back seat? I want to take back over and please the things of my flesh. WOW! How convicting?! Well guys my car has been wrecked for awhile now, and I am just riding along on His bus! Another great thing about His bus, is that you are never alone! No you are surrounded by your spiritual family and the Body of Christ!!!
Sooooo. Long story short YES LORD I AM WILLING!!!! You have ravished my heart. You have romanced me and made me want to dance the night away. You know me and see me. You make me holy and pure. You are glorified because it's not about me - it's about the King of royalty. It's about our Papa!!! He's such an amazing Dad.
“But God commends His own love to us in while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
I mean He sent His one and only Son to come and die for me and you. BUT He died not for us to continue to live sinful lives, but to be made holy and full of righteousness! Man I can say that joy is the energy of the Holy Spirit.
“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit”
Almost every day He has taken me to a place of deep and utter joy. Joy of laughing with Him and dancing with Him!!
So my question for you is -- are you willing?
