“one does not surrender a life in an instant-that which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime. nor is surrender to the will of God (per se) adequate to fullness of power in Christ. maturity is the accomplishment of years, and i can only surrender to the will of God as i know what that will is. this may take years to know, hence fullness of the Spirit is not instantaneous but progressive as i attain fullness of the Word which reveals the will. if men were filled with the Spirit, they would not write books on that subject, but on the Person whom the Spirit has come to reveal. occupation with Christ is God’s object, not fullness of the Spirit. the apostles saw the effects-Christ exalted-and noted the cause, which was the blessed working of the Comforter. then they realized and exhorted to fullness, not with fullness as the goal, but merely as the path to that great aim of a Christ-centered soul-drawing attention to its center.”

the way is rubble-strewn
i cannot tell nor see
mid all this wandering
which is Thy way for me
be this my boon, Jehovah
amid stumblings, this is my plea-
not virtue, zeal, nor worth
but my simplicity.
-jim elliot

“the Lord keepth the simple..” psalm 116:6

“in the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.” luke 14:33

i can hear Him whisper…”surrender…it all…surrender.” have i given up everything? how i am in need to remind myself this continually. though i may be dwelling in the love of Christ..have i surrendered every little thing in my heart? that i become nothing so that He might be all? i will always remember this simple quote by watchman nee,

with complete consecration comes perfect peace.

with complete surrender…..not just a little here and there; not the things we want to give to Him…but everything. to let go of hidden strongholds and things we hold so dear. to let go of our rights, our fears, our worries that we still have such a tight grip on. our own will. let go. once we lay everything at His precious feet, He will fill us with a peace that we cannot even begin to imagine.

 it’s so simple…to be hidden in Jesus…so that no one sees us..none of us…only CHRIST. this is why we were created…so that He may be glorified through us and in us.  …i am finding, the more i ‘decrease’…the more He comes in me….to dwell in this heart of mine. such true joy. Lord, take my wants. my desires…they are not my own. i come to You now laying all that i have, all that i am before You. free me from deceit, selfishness, from my pride, ah, from this sin–from things that are not of You…how oppressing it is to live in my flesh. i fall down at your feet giving ALL i have! i may not be liked or affirmed by the world around me because of this..completely set apart…but i have You, oh Jesus…and You are more than enough. therefore…“all to Jesus, i surrender, all to Him i freely give…”

use me, break me, waste me on You, Lord
ruin me, take me, waste me on You
for to die is to live…

to starve is to feast
and less of me is more of Jesus
Lord, i want it all
if i lose my life
i gain everything
and at the cross
away with all death’s sting
Lord, i want it all
-shane barnard

“may i never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me, and i to the world.” galatians 6:14

Jesus be my one desire
for You to live in me
and me to die is to gain
there’s only one choice to make

not i, but Your grace
not i, but Your mercy
not i, but Your love
not i, but Christ

oh, Jesus make me wholly devoted to You
to You alone
~neah lee

amongst this seeker-friendly Christianity, i know that the Lord is rasing up His own people. to be God’s own counter-culture. how many are willing any more to be offended for Christ and the cross? to truly take their up their cross and deny themselves? (“it is easy to learn the doctrine of personal revival and victorious living; it is quite another thing to take our cross and plod on to the dark and bitter hill of self-renunciation.” -a.w. tozer) who is willing to completely set themselves apart from this world, the religion, the doctrines, the lies and deciet. who is willing? as paul says in acts 2:40 “save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” are you saving yourself? am i? am i guarding my heart, my eyes? am i setting myself completely apart, knowing that there is the possibility of complete rejection? or am i rather going along with the world and the way it portrays Christianity? i need to be driven away, to find a place of purity, satisfaction, a lovesickness for Jesus Christ. when i think of myself and what i want in this life, it only draws me back to the luke-warm state that one does not need to be in! oh i pray…take anything that is not like Christ out of me. take it Lord. at Your feet i lay it. teach me Your way. Your will. set me apart. even if rejection comes. that i may go out and show them You. set my mind, fill me with You. that i may have Your power so that i may fufill Your word.

“You name is so alive. Your delight is my heart’s cry. as You mold my heart to Yours…oh Lord, be glorified.” -shane b.

a good, very wise brother in Christ wrote this earlier and…
wow…i couldn’t have said…(or written) such a
thing any better…it really blessed me,
and i hope it blesses you aswell…

Tearing of this religious mask,
Revealing who I really am
No glitter, glamour, “godly” talk
No place where I will hide

Not playing games, deceiving myself
Not performing an act, fooling my God
Not pretending to stand, while I’m down on my face
I’m admitting my need, the need of His blood

It’s hopeless for us to walk this race alone
Desperation will soon increase
No hope, no help, no purity
Oh drop now to your knees

Perhaps no words are needed,
Your heart already says it all
“If You don’t keep me standing
How great will be my fall?”

“Revive me, make me real,
Renew me, make me whole
Restore me, heal my soul
Jesus, be my all-in-all!”

Forget about what people think,
What they will say or even pray
“You know this ungodly person…”
Never mind, let God have His way

Stand up, be right and sincere
Let no hypocrisy enter your heart
Be willing to lose your reputation
Be willing to make a brand new start

Let God minister to you,
Before you minister to people
Let God work His works in you
Lest your faith remains feeble

The way to revival and courage,
Is not through hearing men of God
Is not through reading godly books
or following the footsteps of C.T. Studd

The way to revelation and power
Is not through shedding many tears
Is not through praying many prayers
Is not through conquering your many fears

The way to revelation and power,
The way to revival and courage
Is through knowing the Son of men,
Who answers every problem with: “I can”

I’ll seek the Giver, not the gift
All my masks I’ll throw away
No career for me in acting
There’s one thing I desire to pray

“Revive me, make me real,
Renew me, make me whole
Restore me, heal my soul
Jesus, be my all-in-all!”

-Paul (dezcall)