"You were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:20
Alright, you know how when you buy something really expensive like, say, a Wii (for lack of a better example), just to realize the game console doesn't come with a second remote? So, then not only do you have to go buy another remote, but you have to buy a whole other game in order to get the remote to come with it. ...Or we can use another example. Think about buying a digital camera. You can't just buy the camera and... vwwala! You have a camera! No, you have to buy the memory card, the battery, and so on. Anyway, my point is not to bash Wii games and digital cameras! My point is that the world is full of these different examples, yet it's all very contrary to the character of God.
Scripture is full of examples where God did something and carried it out to completion. Let's think about it. There's the Israelites. The Lord didn't just choose to use a few of them when He called them out of Egypt. He had Moses lead ALL of them out of Egypt. Then think about when God parted the Red Sea. He let them walk across on DRY ground. Not just damp or muddy, but dry! Here's another example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were thrown into the fiery furnace they didn't come out with even a minor burn. They weren't harmed at all, even when the guards who came anywhere near the furnace fell over dead just from the heat! Another: Daniel in the lions' den. God didn't just dull the lions' teeth, or only keep them from pouncing on Daniel! :) He shut their mouths. There are still many, many more examples that I'm sure you know, and then there's the biggest example of all: Christ hanging on the cross. His last words? "It is finished!"
God finishes what He starts! The Bible mentions Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith. When we were bought at a price, God didn't just buy one little part of us and leave the other for our own sinful pleasure. He bought the whole package! Let's look at Hebrews 7:25a: "Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through him..." God's desire is to have you--completely! The problem that we so often find ourselves with today, is the fact that we may not be giving God our complete "package". We may not have completely submitted our all to Him. Which, at times, we may not even realize we're doing! I am very guilty of this myself. The thing is, we have to be careful to examine ourselves. What is it we are witholding from God and how do we bring whatever it is under the submission of Christ? I believe it is by simply giving it to God through prayer, and then allowing Him to take control of that thing. Just think about what God can do with a Church that is completely submissive to the will of the Lord and has given every aspect of their lives over to Him! With man it is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible!
"Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:4)
I want to encourage you to sing this song to the Lord right now! It's a familiar hymn, I'm sure. If you don't know how it goes, then you can simply say it as a prayer unto God. I suggest singing all the verses first, and the chorus at the end.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Truly know Thy pow'r divine
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me
I surrender all!
I surrender all!
All to Thee, my blessed Savior!
I surrender all!
(Repeat as necessary! :))
Now, we are left with this promise: "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)
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