Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Four

Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control

In you previous SW I suggested that you write down your definition for:

♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear

As we look at these words with more depth, see how your SW answers from the CHG #9 Part Two, bring a deeper understanding to healing your own clutter.

♥What is focus?

Focus = Attention

Focus = Concentration

Focus = No distraction

Focus = Eye to eye contact

Without focus I get scattered in my thinking, my movements, my direction, and my behavior, and this causes me to become overwhelmed.  Abraham was focused.  He kept his eyes on Father God.  Isaac was focused.  He kept his eyes on father Abraham and Father God.  Christ was focused.  He always kept His eyes upward towards His heavenly Father.

Focus = Christ

The message from my devotional time today really summed up what I have just shared with you.  “When your focus is firmly on Me (Christ), My Peace displaces all your fears and worries. Let trust and thankfulness stand guard, turning back fear before it gains a foothold.”

♥What is Surrender?

Surrender = Letting go

Surrender = Releasing

Surrender = Obedience

Surrender = Discipline

Surrender = Submission

Surrender = Forgiveness

Surrender = Delivery/Deliverance

Surrender = Trust

Without surrender we will hold on to the pile up of “stuff,”  dis-ease, disobedience,  unforgiveness, slavery, and mistrust. Abraham surrendered his son.  Isaac surrendered to Abraham, his father.  God the Father surrendered His Son, Jesus.  And Jesus surrendered to His Father.

     

Surrender = Christ

♥What is control?

Control = Authority

Control = Strength

Control = Rule

Control = Guide

Without a transference of control from my hands to God’s, I will lack the supernatural strength, authority, ruling and guidance that only comes from Him.  Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus were in control because their focus was on God.  And because of this focus, they had learned to surrender their lives to His control.

Control = Christ

♥What is Faith?

 Faith = Confidence

 Faith = Belief

 Faith = Trust

Without Faith, a belief in Christ, I simply exist, but with Him, I live! When I reflect on faith and trust, I see them intricately intertwined with one another.  And when I sort through this intertwining, I recognize that faith is my belief system, my belief in Christ (the noun) and trust is that faith in action (the verb).

Faith = Christ

♥What is obedience?

Obedience = Surrender

Obedience = Willingness

Obedience = Outcome of listening

Here is what Christ said about obedience:

1. John 14:15 “If you love me obey my commandments.”

2. John 14:21 “Those who obey me are the ones who love my commandments.”

3. John 14:23 “All those who love me will do what I say.”

4. Matthew 5:17 “I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill them.”

Do you see the one word that Christ consistently spoke as He talked about obeying the commandments?  It is the word - love!  Since God is Love, our relationship with Him is essential to bringing love and order into our lives.  Ongoing disobedience, more than anything else, will bring:

♥Desperation = Hopelessness

♥Devastation = Emptiness

♥Destruction = Destroyed

God = Love.  And choosing to love is a choice. Choosing God is a choice. Discipline and obedience come out of love.  Choosing to be disciplined and obedient is a choice. God and His love for us came first. God with His law for us came second. To surrender is to know true love. To surrender is to be obedient because I love.

God Spoke to Abraham and God Speaks to Us. 

When you choose to follow God, He will speak to you in very personal ways.  He will give you instruction, and you will make a decision to follow Him or ignore Him. When you love someone, you want to obey.

Disciple = Follower

Discipline = Instruction

Discipline = Self control

The word discipline comes from the word disciple.  The disciples were followers of Jesus. They listened to the instructions given by Jesus, and they became disciplined. The Disciples started out as 12 and became 11.  One of them, Judas, chose to ignore the love of God, who came to earth as the flesh and blood, Christ in his presence. We are also disciples learning discipline through the instructions of God’s Word and choosing what we will do.

Obedience = Christ

♥What is Fear?

Fear is the opposite of Faith

Fear = Intimidation

Fear = Timidity

Fear = Anxiety

Fear = Worry

Fear = Imaginary

Fear = Unreal

FEAR is:

False

Expectations

Appearing

Real

Who is Fear?

Fear = A spirit

Fear = The enemy

Fear = Satan

Fear = 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.”

    

God’s Word tells us that we are to fear the Lord, but this fear is not the spirit of fear.

Fear of the Lord = Respect of the Lord

Fear of the Lord = Awe of the Lord

Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 14:27 “Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain: it offers escape from the snares of death.”

Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 19:23 “Fear of the Lord gives life, security, protection from harm.” 

A life without the Lord will be restless and lacking in peace.  It will be a life that is ultimately  rooted in fear. 

As you review the four part postings to CHG #9, I make this prayer request as you apply the content to this CHG in your life.  Please help us Lord, to do what we do out of love and not out of our need to control.  Help us to have a heart that is willing to obey You, because of your love for us, and our love for You.  And then we pray that our love for one another will prove to the world that we are Your disciples.”  John 14:33