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Noames23
Posts:42
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| 01/04/2009 6:35 PM |
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| What does this actually involve? Is it a mindset? What does it require on our parts? |
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~Naomi Kaye |
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JoJo
Posts:1670
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| 01/05/2009 6:37 PM |
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o.k. from what ive learnt... bear in mind Im only 19 and i have lots to learn still...
Surrendering relationships to God...
What I do is I talk to God and say "Lord, I really like "so and so" and Im wondering what you see in our relationship, even if we're just going to be friends. Lord, I give our friendship/relationship over to you and I pray that if it's not Your will for us to be together as more than friends, then I pray that you take or help me to stop having those feelings towards them because ultimately if they are going to be someone else's spouse, I wouldnt want to ruin that. Lord even if it's hard for me to come to terms with not getting to be with them, I'd rather be hurt now and have the pain healed quickly, than get more involved and have my heart smashed to pieces and take longer to get over it. Ultimately Lord, have your way in me."
That's basically what I do, and then I try to listen to what I think God's telling me and to be happy with His decision. |
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Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
God Bless!
Mwah XOXO
JoJo |
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emilyjanelle
Posts:510
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| 01/06/2009 1:01 PM |
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oh man, is this a can of worms! i'll try my best to not be too confusing. 
dictionary.com definition of surrender (i bolded the ones that were really good):
- to yield (something) to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand or under duress: to surrender the fort to the enemy; to surrender the stolen goods to the police.
- to give (oneself) up, as to the police.
- to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.: He surrendered himself to a life of hardship.
- to give up, abandon, or relinquish (comfort, hope, etc.).
- to yield or resign (an office, privilege, etc.) in favor of another.
- to relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion.
- to give up in favor of another.
- to give up or give back (something that has been granted): surrender a contractual right.
- to give up or abandon: surrender all hope.
- to give over or resign (oneself) to something, as to an emotion: surrendered himself to grief.
by definition of surrender, that explains my relationship with God very well. i have surrendered (and keep doing so, daily) my thoughts, emotions, actions, time...everything. it's not just go-to-church-once-a-week-and-try-to-be-friendly-to-everybody mindset. that's completely missing the boat. Jesus didn't come to abolish (do away with) the law, he came to fulfill them. He came to fulfill my life, that i might have it to the fullest. (John 10:10)
:] |
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You may as well come quiet.
- Police Maxim |
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JoJo
Posts:1670
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| 01/07/2009 3:49 AM |
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Yeyah! Go Emily!!!
You rock!! I love what you just wrote!
by definition of surrender, that explains my relationship with God very well. i have surrendered (and keep doing so, daily) my thoughts, emotions, actions, time...everything. it's not just go-to-church-once-a-week-and-try-to-be-friendly-to-everybody mindset. that's completely missing the boat. Jesus didn't come to abolish (do away with) the law, he came to fulfill them. He came to fulfill my life, that i might have it to the fullest. (John 10:10)
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Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
God Bless!
Mwah XOXO
JoJo |
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Noames23
Posts:42
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| 03/01/2009 2:25 PM |
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Okay, so I was doing my devotions today and these verses jumped out at me with reference to this topic. I've read it tons of times, but I really READ it today:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Honor the LORD from your wealth
And from the first of all your produce;
So your barns will be filled with plenty
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, 9-10) |
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~Naomi Kaye |
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Nicole
Posts:552
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| 03/01/2009 10:41 PM |
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| Noames, i totally agree with you. I'm trying everyday to trust in the Lord with all my heart and to acknowledge Him; now the second part, I know, but not until today did i really take a look at how much tithe i really pay Him. I mean i know being a Christian is more than just paying tithe, but I haven't really given Him what He deserves all the time and I know i need to do that. But relationships, I have to say that in whatever relationship you're in, make sure God is in the CENTER of that relationship and He will direct you. |
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whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
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MyLifeHisWill
Posts:184
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| 03/03/2009 7:25 AM |
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I think surrendering relationships is confusing - and I have freaked out about "how to" alot in the past....But I think its waking up every morning and saying:
"God you know how I feel about {name}. You gave me desires, you gave me a longing to be loved, and you gave me this heart. Please, don't let me abuse what You have given me, but intsead, I offer up {name} to You today. Let every word I say, every THOUGHT I think, every action I act out be pleasing and acceptable to You. Show me where You are taking us, show me what behavior, attitudes, and thoughts are detestable in your sight. God, thank you for the blessing {name} is in my life, thankyou for giving me such an amazing friend - and LORD, if it be Your Will to take him out of my life, please do, he is Yours. May I live a life with few regrets becuase I lived it for You."
Obviously this changes on situations, trials, and the type of relationship you are dealing with...but my Mom always tells me, "Every time you choose to keep your hands to yourself when your body is arguing with your morals, every time you put down the phone and pick up the Bible, every time you bite your tongue and hold back that questionable word or two, every time you distract your brain from those thoughts - you are surrendering YOUR will to THE FATHER's Will." So yea....just think of it that way............hope this helps  |
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I don't want to just "live" I want to experience life. |
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Mike
Posts:89
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| 03/03/2009 4:49 PM |
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Sorry for the extraordinarily long post.
I also heard another good prayer to add to the list of good insight so far (I forget where I read this).
"Dear God. I know you know everything that's going to happen to me today, tomorrow, for the rest of my life. You know the traffic jams, the spilled drinks, the embarrassing things I will say, the choices I'll make and everything else. Please give me the perspective and the wisdom and the strength to overcome each hour and to live as fully for you as I can, and to praise you even when things aren't going my way, because I know it's part of your plan for my life."
There's also some devotionals I got from PurposeDrivenLife.com that directly relate to this (sorry for the extraordinarily long post)
by Rick Warren
Surrender
yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7 (GWT)
*** *** *** ***
Surrendering
your life means:
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Following God’s lead without knowing where he’s sending you;
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Waiting for God’s timing without knowing when it will come;
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Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
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Trusting God’s purpose without understanding the circumstances.
You
know you’re surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead
of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation.
You let go and let God work.You don’t have to always be in charge. Instead
of trying harder, you trust more.
You
also know you’re surrendered when you don’t react to criticism and rush to
defend yourself.
Surrendered
hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you
don’t edge others out, and you don’t demand your rights.
The
most difficultthing for many people to surrender is their money. Many have
thought, “I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live
comfortably and retire someday.”
Retirement
is not the goal of a surrender life, because it competes with God for the
primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and
money,” (Matthew 6:24 NIV)and “Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be
also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV).
The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before his
crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. He prayed, “Father,
everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me.
Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36 NLT).
Jesus didn’t pray, “God, if you’re able to take away this pain, please do so.”
He began by affirming that God can do anything! He prayed, “God, if it is in
your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills
your purpose, that’s what I want, too.”
Genuine surrender says, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or
circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in
another’s life, please don’t take it away!”
This level of maturity doesn’t come easy.In Jesus’ case, he agonized so
much over God’s plan that he sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In
our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.
by Rick Warren
“If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they
want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me.” Matthew
16:24 (NCV)
*** *** *** ***
Paul’s moment of surrender occurred on the Damascus road after
he was knocked down by blinding light. For others, less drastic methods are
needed to get our attention.Regardless, surrendering is never just a one-time
event.Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31 NASB).
There is a moment of surrender and there is the practice of
surrender, which is moment-by-moment and lifelong. The practice of surrender
requires perseverance; you may have to re-surrender your life fifty times a
day: “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They
must be willing even to give up their lives [daily] to follow me” (Matthew
16:24 NCV).
Let
me warn you: When you decide to live a totally surrendered life, that decision
will be tested. Sometimes it will mean doing inconvenient, unpopular, costly,
or seemingly impossible tasks.It will often mean doing the opposite of what you
feel like doing.
“Those
who are living by their natural inclinations have their minds on the things
human nature desires; those who live in the Spirit have their minds on
spiritual things” (Romans 8:5 NJB).
We
are, by nature, self-centered. When hurt by someone, your natural inclination
is to hurt back.It is natural to hoard money instead of generously sharing it,
to defend yourself when criticized, to hide your mistakes instead of confessing
them, and to try to impress others. You can usually figure out what will please
God by doing the opposite of your natural inclination.
Bill
Bright founded Campus Crusade for Christ. Through the worldwide Crusade staff,
his tract “The Four Spiritual Laws,” and the “JESUS” film (seen by over one
billion people), it’s estimated that over 150 million people have come to
Christ and will spend eternity in heaven.
I
once asked Bill, “Why did God use and bless your life so much?” He said, “When
I was a young man I made a contract with God.I literally wrote it out and
signed my name at the bottom.It said ‘From this day forward, I am a slave of
Jesus Christ.’”
Have
you signed a contract like that with God? Or, are you still arguing and
struggling with God over his right to do with your life as he pleases?
It is time to surrender – to God’s grace, love, and wisdom.
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Nicole
Posts:552
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| 03/03/2009 11:00 PM |
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| Mike, thank you. I was really encouraged by what you wrote and it also made me look at myself and look at the areas of my life where i haven't really surrendered to God; I still defend myself against criticism from time to time, whenever i'm hurt by someone my first thought is usually to hurt them back (until i take it to God, then what i thought before sounds really foolish), but i still initially think it. For the most part i know God has a plan for my life, and i trust Him with my future even now while i'm unemployed and relying on Him to provide for me; but on the other hand, high wage salaries in my future career still appeal to me. For the most part, what you've said helps me a lot. |
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whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
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Mike
Posts:89
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| 03/03/2009 11:36 PM |
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I don't take credit for any of it, it's all Rick Warren and the book I read the other prayer in, but I agree with you that it's really good advice. On a side note, visit http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/en-US/FreeTools/devotional/dailyDevotional.htm if you'd like to have a daily devotional emailed to you from them. The two I pasted into my post were emails I received a few days ago and they're good and only take a few minutes to read and pray about.
Surrendering isn't a one day thing, it's an every day thing. I've struggled trying to surrender my life to God every day for like the past year and I've only really begun to actually do it more recently, and even still it's not very easy for me. Surrendering means everything and it's hard but it's possible, and I'm not even close yet but I'm beginning to see improvement. |
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emilyjanelle
Posts:510
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| 03/04/2009 8:37 AM |
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| psst, just a quick question, was rick warren the guy who spoke (or whatever he did) at pres. obama's inauguration? i could be so off, sorry if i am! |
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You may as well come quiet.
- Police Maxim |
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Locke
Posts:223
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| 03/04/2009 9:07 AM |
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| I believe it was. I know he did something with Obama. |
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It is trifles that make the sum of life. |
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emilyjanelle
Posts:510
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| 03/04/2009 11:42 AM |
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| *cringe* |
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You may as well come quiet.
- Police Maxim |
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MyLifeHisWill
Posts:184
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| 03/04/2009 1:40 PM |
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| hehe who here is not an Obama fan? **cough**.... me ......**cough** |
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I don't want to just "live" I want to experience life. |
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emilyjanelle
Posts:510
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| 03/06/2009 11:25 AM |
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| haha, i'm sure many of us aren't. and, well, so i'm not a fan of a fan of obama. eh. |
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You may as well come quiet.
- Police Maxim |
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Nicole
Posts:552
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| 03/06/2009 7:05 PM |
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| Lol. Obama fan? Hmmm, well let's just say I voted for his opponent McCain. I don't agree with all of Obama's views (specifically his anti-pro-life views). But a note to Mike, I might just visit that website. And i completely agree with you about surrendering your life to God. It is most definitely hard, I've had my share of struggles in my weakest areas, and though i've definitely improved in those areas, thanks to God, I definitely still struggle. The most drastic changes only started happening only 2 years ago even though i've been a christian my entire life. |
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whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
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Mike
Posts:89
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| 03/06/2009 9:04 PM |
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You might dislike Obama, (as I do), but I think you'll find yourself really liking Rick Warren and the books and things he's written.
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emilyjanelle
Posts:510
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| 03/09/2009 11:21 AM |
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| i've definitely heard alot of good from mr. (is he still a pastor?) warren's books, but i just don't feel right supporting someone who supports a man (pres. obama) who supports murder. that just doesn't sit right with me... |
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You may as well come quiet.
- Police Maxim |
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Nicole
Posts:552
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| 03/09/2009 6:45 PM |
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| I definitely don't know all of Rick Warren's reasons for supporting Obama, but from what little i've read of his book, The Purpose Driven Life, he's pretty good. |
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whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
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Mike
Posts:89
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| 03/10/2009 12:00 PM |
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If I were Warren and I was asked to speak at Obama's inauguration, I would do it. Millions of people were watching, and I'm certain God used this for His plan. I guess I would avoid endorsing Obama wholly if I were Warren, because the differences between Warren and Obama are of a moral and ethical nature, but I would have spoken at his inauguration certainly.
If Jesus ate with and befriended liars, cheaters, murders, rapists, lepers, and other people that nobody would want to associate with, I think Warren can befriend Obama. We're called to try and proclaim God's message to the best of our ability.
And besides, would you rather have had nobody make a prayer at the inauguration?
For those interested in watching it Warren's prayer, here it is (it was broadcast on CBS).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uthH3ywP5Ek |
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