Surrender before the cross

In Matt 26:36-46, our Lord was going through something that probably made him feel more human to me than any other time.  He was fighting for surrender.  In knowing he would be separated from His Father because of sin he would carry.  He would be alone because not only God but his friends would abandon him.  Surrender is a challenging prospect to think that we would have to do in our lives, but sometimes it is easy for us to surrender.  Some of us it may take a long time and the truth is a few of us will go to the grave, never surrendering your life to God's will for your life.  I have been praying a lot for surrender.  For the past several months, I have had insecurities about my job situation.  My contract was to run out next year and I was not sure if we would live here.  I have had a number of interviews, one even being in my hometown and one recently, about 2 weeks ago for a position here.  I never heard from the one in Abq, but I heard on Tuesday for the one here, not only was more money, more responsibility, but it came at the perfect time when my heart was surrendered. I know I could have this surrender because I have the example of Jesus going before the cross.  

Prayer Circles

I decided a few days ago to pick up a book that my wife had been reading called Prayer Circles. It opens up talking about a man named Honi, a Jew in first century B.C., that drew persecution from the prayers he supplicated to God.  Like Jesus, he was persecuted for his devotion to God, but the Lord heard his prayers.

As I continued to read the book first several chapters, I learned how specific prayers need to be.  Like Honi, Elijah and many other prophets, prayers were very specific and God heard those prayers, but so many of us, quit asking because He does not answer quickly.  I have been a participant in this.  I don't get the answer I want or no answer at, and I don't ask anymore or I forget to ask him, but I especially love praising through.

 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. In Joshua 6, it says

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

The Lord had yet to physically give the city of Jericho into the hands of Joshua, but He already did.  He had "delivered" Jericho already into their hands even though he still needed to march around the city.  Isn't this the way God works in our life?  He has delivered us already from some special event that we prayed for, but we still pray for it?  God has shown us that we if pray through, believe that it has happened already, God will bless us with our faithfulness.  

Christ king response

I love the way that God never drew attention to himself, even when he came down as a man he was so simple, so humble, from birth to his death.  I ask myself do I do things to get attention or to get noticed? I believe for the most part I don't, but I do feel I want to be appreciated sometimes. 

God wants us to be grateful all the time. Through everything that Jesus went through I never saw the scriptures where he was not grateful,  This is convicting and it challenges my heart to not be self-focused.  Lord help me to see clearly your lordship, selflessness and the why you do things.  

Christ-Like Leadership

I have learned Christ-like leadership always begins with others in mind, a deep agape love for people, service and never about self.  The character to be more Christ-like always begins with daily time with the Lord and building fidelity in being like him everyday. Christ immediately set the standard by making it about others(Matt 4:19).  Christ continued to nurture to build his relationship with others and was never relational leadership. This also means believing in the purpose of which I was sent and instilling that into others, effectively enabling them to fulfill that same purpose.