Under Construction

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  (Philippians 1:6)

I remember a couple years ago when a new Dairy Queen was being built near my house.  I enjoy ice cream, so I was looking forward to the doors opening for business.

It started with the ground being cleared and then the foundation being poured.  Then the walls and roof were added.  Soon you began to see a building taking shape.

However, while it was being built, it didn’t look anything like the trademark DQ building.  As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for the advertising sign they put out near the road, it would have been difficult to guess what the building was going to become.

As a Christ follower, there may be days when you and I don’t look much like Jesus.  Our weakness and failures might take center stage and leave people struggling to recognize Jesus in us.

But when that happens, don’t be discouraged.  As the famous saying goes, you are still “under construction,” but the good news – God is the great Project Finisher!  He who began a good work within you will not stop until you are finished.

Even in the midst of our slip ups, God will use those times to showcase His love and forgiveness through us if we let Him.

So, no matter how you look right now, with all the rough edges and splinters, rest assured that God has a master plan and He is working diligently to finish the product called “You!”

Whosoever

“You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:13-16

Light does not discriminate.

When you turn on a lamp it does not say, I will shine for you but not for them!

Jesus said: “...and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

The light in our lives should impact all around us.

Our family, our friends and neighbors, our co-workers and yes, even our enemies, should see our light shining for Jesus Christ.

Will all of the racial tensions in our culture today and all of the associated rhetoric I am reminded of a line from a Sunday School song that so adequately answers that tension:

“Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight...

Gods’ love is color blind.

There are no second class citizens in the Kingdom of God.

There is only one way into the kingdom of God and that is belief in and acceptance of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Those who seek to divide based on skin color do not speak for God.

That is the whole idea behind the ‘whosoever’ of John 3:16!

Go back and read it again.

To God Alone

“You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:13-16

“In the same way...”

Our light is not meant to be hidden.

Jesus said: “...let your light shine before others...”

We are not meant to fit in but to stand out.

As the moon reflects the light of the sun, we are to reflect the goodness of God.

The glory, the credit, or any of the attention our good works brings belongs to God.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story...” Psalm 107:2

But the redeemed one’s story is always rooted solidly in what the Redeemer has done for them.

So in the days ahead as the light in you draws the attention of others be sure to tell them why.

Let them know:

“...you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord...”

Click on the link below to hear a song by Aaron Shust that speaks to this topic:

https://youtu.be/VE1Pu28KZM8

Please Pass the Salt

“You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:13-16

Nowadays we think of salt and we think of a seasoning on our table.

If you live in an area with cold and snow you also think of salt spread on the roads to melt the ice.

But when Jesus spoke these words icy roads and French fries were not what he was thinking of.

Salt was used primarily as a preservative and purifying agent.

It would preserve and purify (like meat for example) those things it came into contact with.

We are to be preserving and purifying agents in the earth.

The church – you and me – individually and corporately have a role to play in our world.

It is not to hang on until the bitter end and then get rescued.

That is a very self-centered and unbiblical response.

We are to be salt.

We are to make a difference in the world around us.

We are to be the culture influencers and not the other way around.

We are to be like Jesus.

Do you have the words of life in you?

Can others come to you knowing you will speak what is true and right?

Does your life reflect Jesus Christ to others?

Challenging questions for each of us, I know.

But we are called to be salt that has not lost it’s saltiness!

 

Are You Ready for the Big Reveal?

“His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked,

“Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”

John 9:8

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!”

II Corinthians 5:17

 

He was no longer a beggar!

He was changed by the power of God.

God and His power have not changed.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

How have you been changed by the power of God?

The blind beggar’s life change was remarkable and evident to those around him.

It was apparent to those who knew him best.

He had indeed become a new creation and it was not possible to keep it a secret.

Nor did he want to!

The times have never been more against being a ‘clandestine Christian.

If ever there were an oxymoron that is one.

We are called to be salt and light.

We are called to be different.

We are called to be a living ‘before and after’ picture.

Let your light so shine before men...

Look No Further Than Today

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)

Recently God has been reminding me of this verse on almost a daily basis.  As my day gets crowded and stressful, He gently reminds me to focus on today and not to worry about tomorrow.

When I do, the weight is lifted from my heart, my mind is filled with peace and I’m reenergized to continue on with my day.

There’s much wisdom in the above verse.  We are not designed to carry our tomorrows.  The load is too great.  Only God is able to carry our tomorrows.

Instead, we are designed to walk with God moment by moment and rely totally on His provision day by day.

That’s why Jesus taught His disciples to pray “give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

God’s power and provision is in our today, in our tomorrow, and in our next week, but He chooses to gives us what we need day by day.

So the next time you are tempted to worry about tomorrow, choose to look no further than today.

In your today, you will find God has already provided everything you need.

The Battle of the ‘I wills’

“Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets],

but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].”

Luke 5:5

You said in your heart, "I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

Isaiah 14:13

The will.

It can be submitted or it can be in rebellion.

The verses above give us examples of both.

Peter, beyond his own reasoning and human skills submitted to the will of the Son of God.

The devil, in outward rebellion declares his defiance of God in heaven.

They both said ‘I will.’

Peter’s obedience brought an immediate miraculous catch of fish as well as a lesson on evangelism for him and for us.

The devils’ ‘I will’ brought the worst imaginable punishment, eternal removal from the presence of God.

Remember, too, that hell was created for the devil and those angels that rebelled with him.

His ‘I will’ impacted so many others.

Today the world is full of ‘I wills’ that will impact many lives.

Some for good and some for evil.

I will have this abortion, it’s my body and my choice.

I will shoot that cop, its’ my way of getting even.

I will do as you say Lord and love my enemies.

Lord, I will stand for righteousness.

What is your ‘I will’ declaring today?

A Million and One Times

“Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets],

but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].”

Luke 5:5

Faithfulness!

It’s hidden in that word again.

We don’t want to repeat our actions again when they have previously proved unsuccessful.

But when the dynamic duo of obedience (...but at your word...) is paired with faithfulness (again) great things can happen!

Even (maybe I should say – especially) when you think you know better.

It would have been easier, on Peter’s part, to deny the Lord His request.

Isn’t the same with us?

This city has been prayed for a million times, yet at your word we will pray a million and one times.

Lord, everything that can be done here for outreach has been done but because you say to do this thing we will obey.

When we faithfully obey despite our fatigue, despite our previous disappointments, despite all the efforts that have gone before, despite the naysayers, then God steps into our ‘again’ and brings the answer we had been seeking.

Will you move at God’s command the millionth and 1 time?

...But at Your Word...

“Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets],

but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].”

Luke 5:5

 

“...but at your word...”

Are you willing to set your own thoughts aside for Gods’ direction?

Even when you fancy yourself ‘skilled’ in the area God is now directing you in?

It is so much easier to let God have His way when you are in uncharted territory.

But when God begins to direct you where you fancy yourself the ‘expert’ and in things you have done a thousand times can you still say: “...but at your word...”.

To his credit Simon Peter did as Jesus said.  

Maybe you have great business acumen and Gods’ counsel to you seems to be contrary to all you’ve learned.

Can you still say: “...but at your word...”

Jesus had been teaching the crowd before He got into the disciples boat.

Perhaps He had reserved the greatest lesson of that day for them.

A wonderful thing about the Word of God is that it is alive and active in our lives today.

Today, you will be challenged in some form or fashion to let down your nets.

How will you answer?

Will it be, “Jesus – I’ve got this. I am an old pro from way back!”

Or will it be: “...but at your word.”

The Most Effective Fight

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12

The devil will do everything in his power to convince you that all that is happening on the evening news today is just flesh and blood out of control.

He delights in blind believers shooting at false targets.

There is evil in the world.

But it is first and foremost a spiritual battle we are fighting.

We are not told to put on the whole armor of God for no reason.

Our heavenly Father knows how battles are won.

He has equipped us for that battle.

I would say to you it is won on our knees as we pray but whether you kneel when you pray, whether you stand, whether you are prostrate before the Lord it is indeed a battle fought in prayer.

God does not provide His children with bombs and terror.

He equips us with the preaching of the Gospel.

Now to many frustrated people that message is the last thing they want to hear.

They want vengeance, they want retribution.

But listen again to the words of Jesus:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Luke 6:27-28

Jesus began by saying – “...to you who are listening...”

Are you listening?

Are you fighting this battle in the Lord’s way and with the weapons He has provided?

Swimming in the Same Direction

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

 

Another area of temptation the enemy uses to trap God’s people is to sow discord in the body of Christ.  He knows the church is weakened if he can keep us going in different directions instead of flowing together with a common purpose and desire.

Have you ever seen a school of fish swim?  They always move in the same direction.  It’s pretty amazing to watch how quickly they can change direction, but still stay together.  They swim as if they were a single entity, yet a school can be made up of hundreds of individual fish.  It’s like they are of one mind being controlled by single source.

One of the main reasons fish swim in schools is protection against predators.  When they are swimming alone, they are an easy target.

As Christians we too are meant to live together in unity, flowing in the same direction.  The bible teaches we are all members of the same body with Christ as the head.  Can you imagine your two feet trying to go in different directions?  You wouldn’t get very far.

When we are all going in different directions, we too are an easy target for a predator.  1 Peter 5:8 warns us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

It is important for a church family to swim in the same direction.  There truly is strength in numbers.  God’s power can flow in greater measure when we are moving in harmony with the same vision and purpose.

May our differences never overshadow or become more important than the things we have in common, especially are allegiance to Jesus and our desire to follow Him.

When we all keep our eyes on Jesus, we too will find ourselves swimming in the same direction.

You Are Highly Valued by God

“...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,”

Ephesians 3:18

How much are you worth to God?

You are worth enough that He sent His son to die in your place and take the punishment for your sins.

Don’t just read that previous sentence and miss the full impact.  

Understand it, let it sink in.

Make it personal, because it is.

That means we each have value and great worth in His sight.

We need to daily remind ourselves of that because the enemy of your soul will try to steal that value and worth from you.

He does it by reminding you of your failures and suggests that because of them you have no value before God.

He will tell you that you certainly don’t compare to those who are doing great things for God.

Funny how he always seems to pair up accusations of no value with comparing us with others.

This or that person is doing so much for God and what are you doing?

They are highly valued by God, but you, you have no value.

My prayer for you today is that you recognize the lies of the enemy and that you do not believe him.

He is a liar.

He wants to separate you from God and if that means comparing you to others and whispering lies to you that you have no or less value than he will.

Determine in your heart to no longer accept or believe his lies.

Instead, accept and believe the promises of God.  

Recognition

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?

Or am I trying to please people?

If I were still trying to please people,

I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10

As we have discussed previously, temptation can come in many forms.

Another common trap we can fall into that the enemy sets for us is recognition.

The need to be fawned over when you have done something others appreciate.

How different this is from the example that Jesus gave us over and over.

He would often heal someone and then command them to tell no one.

He was not a man in search of other men’s recognition.

His desire was to please, and do, the will of His Father.

In many ways, His was a stealth or covert ministry.

It wasn’t until the appointed time – the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem – that He allowed others to recognize that He truly was a King.

We can go out of our way – and quite literally out of ‘the way’ God has set for us in our search for recognition.

‘It’ rather than Him can become our consuming focus.

When that happens we are caught in the enemies trap.

You see, more and more we will seek the recognition of man over the recognition of the Lord.

Set your heart to seek God’s recognition.

Let it be your desire to catch His eye and not the eyes, or the applause, of man.

Tempted to Perform

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

Temptation can come in many forms.

One way we are all tempted is in the area of performance.

We believe the lie that we have to ‘perform’ for God to earn His love or salvation.

We were reminded on Sunday that what we ‘do’ doesn’t qualify us.

What is the greatest miracle you can imagine?

Now suppose God used you to perform it.

Stop and think about this – does He love you greater the day after that miracle than He did the day before?

Let’s all say it together - “No!”

If we get caught up in the thinking that

“Because I can do these things, I am extra special” we have been bit by the performance bug.

We believe the scriptures that teach us “...these signs shall follow...”

But you will not find a passage that declares that God’s love for you increases when you ‘perform’.

Our ‘doing’ flows out of His love for us and is not a prerequisite to it.

Allow me a little liberty below –

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by performance, that none should believe the lies of the enemy.

The Battle Lines are Drawn

“And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:13

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted by the devil.

 

It would seem to be a contradiction.

We are taught to pray that we are not led into temptation.

Yet just a couple of chapters earlier we read that Jesus was led, by the Holy Spirit, into the wilderness specifically to be tempted by the devil.

I don’t think God was sitting in heaven worried about the devil or saying to His Son – “O.K Son, let’s get this part over with.”

On the contrary, He knew His Son would triumph over the enemy.

Scripture had declared no less way back in the Garden!

Perhaps in the wilderness temptation God is pulling back the curtain

(so to speak) and demonstrating Colossians 2:15

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

 In any event, Jesus was victorious in the wilderness just as He would be on the cross and just as He would in rising from the grave.

Like a man hungry for vengeance, Luke’s account of the temptation tells us that the devil left Jesus “...until an opportune time.”

He was planning on coming back.

He was not through.

His schemes are still used today against you and me.

But we are not left powerless.

We have the victory through Jesus Christ.

Let’s look, over the next several days, at some of the strategies the enemy might use against God’s people.

Let’s be wise to his ways that we might not be caught in his trap!

Strength in Your Weakness

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

His (Uzziah’s) fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful. But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. (2 Chronicles 26:15-16)

God’s help is what made Uzziah successful, but he let that success go to his head.  He no longer needed God.  After all, he had raised up an army of highly trained warriors equipped with the best equipment. He built fortified towers and had many victories.

Unlike the newly crowned 16 year old who desperately needed God, Uzziah tasted success and began to think he was “all that” when it came to running a kingdom.  But his pride led to his downfall.

Were you ever asked to do something that brought much fear and trembling in the beginning?  I mean knee knocking, palm sweating fear and trembling?  Maybe a new job or a new ministry opportunity that stretched you way beyond your comfort zone?

During times like that we tend to rely heavily on God, pleading with Him not to let us fail.  But then as we become more comfortable and experienced success, we back off on our reliance on God and begin to think “I got this?”

We may even have looked back and thought our fear and trembling was a sign of weakness.

But reliance on God is when His power is free to flow the greatest.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God told the apostle Paul "My power works best in weakness," which prompted Paul to say “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Paul didn’t rejoice in his strengths, but in his weaknesses. That is so contrary to what the world teaches, but it is the secret to living a powerful life in Christ.

As my pastor said this past weekend “success in the Kingdom is only possible when you realize there is strength in your weakness and weakness in your strength.”

Uzziah rejoiced in his strength and became weak.  Paul rejoiced in his weakness and became strong.

As God uses you, never leave that place of reliance on Him, no matter how much success you taste.

Don’t Be Crazy or Foolish or Unwise

“The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men.

I cannot deliver Midian into their hands,

or Israel would boast against me,

‘My own strength has saved me.’”

Judges 7:2

Imagine the trust necessary to reduce the size of your army when you already know you are vastly outnumbered by your enemy.

I did say ‘trust’ although some would describe it another way...

... like crazy or foolish or unwise.

But God was going to prove Himself strong on Israel’s behalf against the Midianites.

No one would be able to boast that is was because of their leader Gideon or the size or skill of their army but only through the hand of their God.

Sometimes we look at our success and credit it to anything and everything but the Lord.

We claim great business acumen or that our good likes and charismatic personality got us the job.

We say the fat bank account is because we did it all and without anyone’s help.

We boast in our own strength and not in the goodness, grace, favor, blessings and strength of the Lord.

That is what I would describe as truly crazy or foolish or unwise.

Consider all that you have, understand it is only through the goodness of God.

Instead –

“but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 9:24

Are You Ready to Hit the Gym?

“That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

II Corinthians 12:10

  

Suppose you and I came out of our mother’s womb looking like a world champion bodybuilder.

Now suppose as we got older we only got better.

Of course, that is not the case.

Getting, and keeping, the body of a champion takes long hours in the gym and concentrated effort.

For Paul, the world and all the tribulations, trials and sufferings it brought was his spiritual gym.

He had learned that through his weakness, Christ’s strength was manifested in his life.

The insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties are what put muscle on his ‘spiritual bones’.

The life lived only and always comfortably is a weak life.

I am not advocating that you go out and search for problems.

Let your light shine, be a witness for Christ and there will come plenty of time at the ‘gym’.

As a matter of fact, Paul promised as much to Timothy when he wrote these words to his young co-laborer:

”In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life

in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”

II Timothy 3:12

You might say that your “spiritual gym membership” is most evident when you have learned the secret of being in the world but not of the world!

Are you ready to hit the gym?

That Day

“In that day you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done,

and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

Isaiah 12:4

I am wondering: is today ‘that day’?

Is today the day that you will give praise to the Lord?

“Well, there’s always tomorrow!”

Yes, there is but why procrastinate when it comes to honoring God.

It seems there is now an entire generation that does not know Him.

Sure, they know about Him, but they don’t really know Him.

What name of His will you exalt?

Will you tell others that He is Jehovah Jireh – the God who provides.

Not because of some head knowledge but because He truly is the one who provides for all of your needs.

Will you tell others that He is the Great Physician who has healed you today?

What about the God who is Light, Love, Truth and Mercy.

So many wonderful names of God and so many opportunities to make His name known.

Why wait, make today that day!

Stand in His Strength

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Ephesians 6:10-18

At best it is unwise to refuse all that God has provided.

I am not talking about His grace or His gifts but the armor He gives to equip us!

I have a nephew in the Army whose training is in the area of ordnance.

He defuses bombs and other explosive devices.

Imagine my sister’s worst nightmare if her son announced that he did not need any of the special equipment and protective clothing needed to do his job.

Suppose he thought he was so good that they were not necessary?

Suppose he thought the effort of using them wasn’t worth his time?

Suppose he just felt he could do it all on his own?

Now if that is a foolhardy approach, how much more so when we refuse the whole armor of God!

It is not given to us so we can look good walking down a runway.

If you are earnest in your walk with God you know this is not a fashion show but a battle.

Don’t shrug off God’s armor.

Paul commands us to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.

Are you prepared today?

Have you put in the whole armor?

Not a select piece or two but all that God provides?

Good!

Now stand in His strength!!!

Don’t Walk Away Sad

Today’s blog post is contibuted by David Trotta:

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:20-22)

The rich man in the above story talked a good game until Jesus asked him to part with something that held his heart captive – his many possessions.

To the rich man, he had obeyed all the commandments Jesus listed.  He was probably feeling pretty good about his prospects of getting into heaven until Jesus dropped the bombshell.

Jesus peered into his heart and saw it.  That one thing that was reigning on the throne of his heart.  That one thing that Jesus knew would have to be surrendered before the rich man’s heart could be totally His.

The same goes for you and me.  As we walk with Jesus, He will test our commitment and devotion to Him by asking us to surrender those things in our hearts that will keep us from a deeper relationship with Him.

In the beginning they may be smaller things that are relatively easy to surrender, but eventually He will work His way to those things that have the greatest hold on our hearts.

Jesus wants to reign on the throne of our hearts unchallenged.

I wonder what the rich man thought about his encounter with Jesus in the hours, days, and weeks that followed.  Did he regret his decision?  Did he realize what he gave up to hold onto his possessions?

Jesus will never ask us to surrender something to Him without replacing it with something of greater value – more of Him.  But without the surrender, we limit the degree to which God can occupy our hearts.  We have to empty our hearts before He can fill them.

When Jesus shows you an area of your life that needs to be surrendered, don’t walk away sad.  Instead, say “yes Lord.”