Comments on: Dying to self and suffering, go hand-in-hand http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/ "After surrender - what? The whole of the life after surrender is an aspiration for unbroken communion with God." Oswald Chambers Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:33 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Steph http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-438 Steph Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:41:57 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-438 Hi Phil4:8 :-) How wonderful for you that you are going through this, and as painful as it may be at times, you can truly rejoice in it and know implicitly, that the outcome of it will be His. It is quite a thing to see yourself as He sees you when He is so generous and kind enough to show us. You might want to take a look at a poem called<a href="http://surrender-all-jessie.com/worship/my-mirror/" rel="nofollow"> My Mirror</a> Bless you too and thank you for sharing your walk with me and all who read, here. Be so encouraged! Hi Phil4:8 :-)
How wonderful for you that you are going through this, and as painful as it may be at times, you can truly rejoice in it and know implicitly, that the outcome of it will be His.

It is quite a thing to see yourself as He sees you when He is so generous and kind enough to show us. You might want to take a look at a poem called My Mirror

Bless you too and thank you for sharing your walk with me and all who read, here.
Be so encouraged!

]]> By: Phil 4:8 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-437 Phil 4:8 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:26:28 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-437 Hi Steph, Your reposting of this message came at a very opportune time for this reader. My Lord is indeed killing me as only He can. It seems to me He takes the things we tell Him, then works it out in us. It's okay to believe in something that is true but another thing altogether to move, walk or live in the thing we believe, yet it is the only way to determine that we DO believe. I can and have told Him I want Him more than my next breath. It's not untrue. Still, when my breath is hard to find, it shows me what it is I've told Him I could do without comparatively. Coming up short of breath for no discernible reason is scary! So, what then? Do I stop telling Him that a very important need for my life is now more necessary than I thought? Do I decide He's mean to take me at my word? You're a mean, mean Lord and I follow You no more! All these trials do besides the very necessary molding required of us, is to let US see who we are, where we are and, if we do not run away, bring us to repentance before Him. I thank Him every day for allowing me to see Him more clearly and know Him in greater and greater truth. Yes, sometimes He does pour a lot on many wedges at a time.There is so much coming down upon my 'wedges' that I can do nothing but sink down under the weight of it all. But then, does He not tell us to "be still & know"? He is glorious and He is ours. God Bless You. Hi Steph,
Your reposting of this message came at a very opportune time for this reader. My Lord is indeed killing me as only He can. It seems to me He takes the things we tell Him, then works it out in us. It’s okay to believe in something that is true but another thing altogether to move, walk or live in the thing we believe, yet it is the only way to determine that we DO believe.

I can and have told Him I want Him more than my next breath. It’s not untrue. Still, when my breath is hard to find, it shows me what it is I’ve told Him I could do without comparatively. Coming up short of breath for no discernible reason is scary! So, what then? Do I stop telling Him that a very important need for my life is now more necessary than I thought? Do I decide He’s mean to take me at my word? You’re a mean, mean Lord and I follow You no more!
All these trials do besides the very necessary molding required of us, is to let US see who we are, where we are and, if we do not run away, bring us to repentance before Him.
I thank Him every day for allowing me to see Him more clearly and know Him in greater and greater truth. Yes, sometimes He does pour a lot on many wedges at a time.There is so much coming down upon my ‘wedges’ that I can do nothing but sink down under the weight of it all. But then, does He not tell us to “be still & know”?
He is glorious and He is ours.
God Bless You.

]]> By: Steph http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-412 Steph Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:31:14 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-412 Hi WBMoore Amen! and thank you for your comment Hi WBMoore Amen! and thank you for your comment

]]> By: WBMoore http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-411 WBMoore Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:37:17 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-411 It is amazing how often we have our ears tickled with people wanting us to do what they want, rather than hearing the Word of God. We are not promised wealth as the world would think of it. We are promised love and discipline. But we are also promised God will be there for us, with us - and for that I give thanks. It is amazing how often we have our ears tickled with people wanting us to do what they want, rather than hearing the Word of God.

We are not promised wealth as the world would think of it. We are promised love and discipline. But we are also promised God will be there for us, with us – and for that I give thanks.

]]> By: Steph http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-375 Steph Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:15:44 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-375 Amen Diane and you are most welcome! :-) Amen Diane and you are most welcome! :-)

]]> By: Diane http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Diane Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:06:57 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-374 Yes, I understand exactly what you mean. Your statement "the quicker we learn to submit..." that is what I meant by His not leaving me in despair. I am praying for a teachable spirit so that I can learn quickly. This is my faith, hope and trust in Him-- that whatever He takes me through or removes, no matter how seemingly terrible, hurtful or even illogical it may be, He will succeed in working what He needs to work in me. He cannot fail! (Even if it takes a very long time.) That is the hope I have of not being left to despair in my circumstance or situation. I am praying for more faith to believe Him and am especially praying for God to show me His truth so I won't be deceived. Learning about all that is claimed in the name of Christianity these last 4 years is new to me, and I am amazed at the quantity of different gospels and teachings and movements that even I, as a new believer with no experience and very little knowledge, can see what they are or at the very least question them and wonder why others, even pastors that I know, do not. And no one seems to want to talk about what is true and what is false...according to their biblical definitions. And that is all I want to talk about and learn about. So, other than my wonderful husband, I have been praying God would send people to me to teach me. But I have definitely experienced despair in myself because things were not working out as I had planned, and then God showed me the idolatry in my life and saved me 4 years ago. He certainly was sovereign in my salvation as I was not seeking it---I wanted more idols to worship! What gratitude I have for Him that He had other plans for me. Thanks!:-) Bless you! Yes, I understand exactly what you mean. Your statement “the quicker we learn to submit…” that is what I meant by His not leaving me in despair. I am praying for a teachable spirit so that I can learn quickly. This is my faith, hope and trust in Him– that whatever He takes me through or removes, no matter how seemingly terrible, hurtful or even illogical it may be, He will succeed in working what He needs to work in me. He cannot fail! (Even if it takes a very long time.) That is the hope I have of not being left to despair in my circumstance or situation.

I am praying for more faith to believe Him and am especially praying for God to show me His truth so I won’t be deceived. Learning about all that is claimed in the name of Christianity these last 4 years is new to me, and I am amazed at the quantity of different gospels and teachings and movements that even I, as a new believer with no experience and very little knowledge, can see what they are or at the very least question them and wonder why others, even pastors that I know, do not. And no one seems to want to talk about what is true and what is false…according to their biblical definitions. And that is all I want to talk about and learn about. So, other than my wonderful husband, I have been praying God would send people to me to teach me.

But I have definitely experienced despair in myself because things were not working out as I had planned, and then God showed me the idolatry in my life and saved me 4 years ago. He certainly was sovereign in my salvation as I was not seeking it—I wanted more idols to worship! What gratitude I have for Him that He had other plans for me.

Thanks!:-)
Bless you!

]]> By: Steph http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-373 Steph Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:35:34 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-373 Hi Diane :-D 'The Saint must walk alone', was such a wonderful eye opener - it brought immense comfort to me too. The circle and the wedges I shared here, the Lord gave to me as a means to explain how it works, and I know I could never have come up with this on my own. It has helped a few folks where I live to grasp a solid understanding of how God works in us. The Lord is so immeasurably kind. Regarding your word usage of despair - I believe that we each <em> have</em> to come to a place of despair -a place of <em>worldly</em> despair, where we truly see that "I can of myself do nothing" as Jesus said in John 5:30. God will spend the rest of our lives as we walk with Him, slowly removing out our independence from Him and replacing it with an utter dependence, as it was in the beginning before the fall. The quicker we learn to submit and surrender to Him as He takes us into each daily situation or circumstance, the quicker we learn to let go of our independence. It is that independence, which is rooted in pride, is what slows us down and deprives us of more with the Lord. We need to be taken to a place with the Lord where we are so submitted to Him, so surrendered, where we can honestly cry out to the Lord, "Lord, I want to miss out on <strong>nothing</strong><em> you have for me in this life - no matter what it is - whether it is going to cause me pain or not. Just do it all Lord. Have your way in me." then reach out and 'take Him by the hand', set your face as flint and move forward with Him. Bless you Diane and thank you so much for your lovely, comment and your willingness to share your heart here. Hi Diane :-D
‘The Saint must walk alone’, was such a wonderful eye opener – it brought immense comfort to me too.

The circle and the wedges I shared here, the Lord gave to me as a means to explain how it works, and I know I could never have come up with this on my own. It has helped a few folks where I live to grasp a solid understanding of how God works in us. The Lord is so immeasurably kind.

Regarding your word usage of despair – I believe that we each have to come to a place of despair -a place of worldly despair, where we truly see that “I can of myself do nothing” as Jesus said in John 5:30. God will spend the rest of our lives as we walk with Him, slowly removing out our independence from Him and replacing it with an utter dependence, as it was in the beginning before the fall.

The quicker we learn to submit and surrender to Him as He takes us into each daily situation or circumstance, the quicker we learn to let go of our independence. It is that independence, which is rooted in pride, is what slows us down and deprives us of more with the Lord.

We need to be taken to a place with the Lord where we are so submitted to Him, so surrendered, where we can honestly cry out to the Lord, “Lord, I want to miss out on nothing you have for me in this life – no matter what it is – whether it is going to cause me pain or not. Just do it all Lord. Have your way in me.” then reach out and ‘take Him by the hand’, set your face as flint and move forward with Him.

Bless you Diane and thank you so much for your lovely, comment and your willingness to share your heart here.

]]> By: Diane http://surrender-all-jessie.com/2009/11/06/dying-to-self-and-suffering-go-hand-in-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Diane Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:18:34 +0000 http://surrender-all-jessie.com/?p=706#comment-372 Hello Steph! This was very encouraging to me. How I admire your ability to write and wish I had it!:) But God has given this gift to you so that we all may enjoy it and be uplifted. This was encouraging to me because it reminded me of something I read last evening; A.W Tozer's The Saint Must Walk Alone. The first time I read it was when you referenced it in a comment at Mike's a few months ago. I felt like I had found a friend in that chapter! Relating this to suffering or one's cross...the wedges in our circle that the Lord requires of us, people, other christians... is very hard but He is showing me it is what He requires if He is to be first. There is so much to distract me from Christ. He wants all from us and wants it freely from us. Our trust and faith is that He will not overwhelm us with too much "wedge removal" at one time, will not leave us in a state of despair and will change our old desires into His desires. So great is our God that He does this for us-He does it, His work, our surrender. Praying that God would place more love for Him in our hearts, more love for the Truth so as to more fully know Him. Lord, teach us what it means to "acknowledge You in all our ways." God bless you. Hello Steph!
This was very encouraging to me. How I admire your ability to write and wish I had it!:) But God has given this gift to you so that we all may enjoy it and be uplifted.
This was encouraging to me because it reminded me of something I read last evening; A.W Tozer’s The Saint Must Walk Alone. The first time I read it was when you referenced it in a comment at Mike’s a few months ago. I felt like I had found a friend in that chapter! Relating this to suffering or one’s cross…the wedges in our circle that the Lord requires of us, people, other christians… is very hard but He is showing me it is what He requires if He is to be first. There is so much to distract me from Christ.
He wants all from us and wants it freely from us. Our trust and faith is that He will not overwhelm us with too much “wedge removal” at one time, will not leave us in a state of despair and will change our old desires into His desires. So great is our God that He does this for us-He does it, His work, our surrender.
Praying that God would place more love for Him in our hearts, more love for the Truth so as to more fully know Him. Lord, teach us what it means to “acknowledge You in all our ways.”
God bless you.

]]>