"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." - John 6:47

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Thursday, March 17, 2016

God Wants Our "Dependent" Hearts

"Brokenness is the stripping of self-reliance and independence from God. The broken person has no confidence in his own righteousness or his own works, but he is cast in total dependence upon the grace of God working in and through him."   - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

What really keeps us from developing the kind, or type of relationship with God that we deeply desire? We faithfully attend church, read our Bibles, participate in church activities and outreach programs, even praying daily without fail. What else is there?

If I have just described you, perhaps you've been going along like this for years. Surely, on the surface everything looks great. But, you just might be missing out on experiencing the sort of relationship that God meant for us to have with Him without realizing it.

In general, we tend to be quite independent in nature. We like to think that we are capable of handling our individual needs, and take great pride in our ability to do so. In itself, this is not a bad quality to have. Though, it can be this exact attribute that is suppressing us from enjoying a truly fulfilling bond with God.

I know I'm really simplifying things, but what is hampering our efforts is an "It's all about me" heart and attitude. As long as we have this hard, crusty, outer layer of individual independence from God we're not going to get any closer than where we stand now (James 4:6).

No one can pierce that layer, but us. God can't do it for us. Certainly, He can bring us up to the point of where it is, but only we can crack through it. This involves freeing yourself from your own oneness and surrendering all to Him. We must choose not to follow our own ideas, but pledge our absolute loyalty to Him.

How can we be devoted to Him, if we are only loyal to ourselves? Only when we have brought down all understanding of ourselves, are we then ready to let Him take over. Basically, what occurs here is an intentional signing over of our own rights, so that we become a servant of Jesus Christ.

However, unless we do this we cannot truly receive the full benefits of fellowship with Him. Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to give yourself over to Christ unconditionally (Proverbs 3:5-6)?

The thought of losing our independence can be a deal-breaker to many. But, if we sincerely want to be "one" with God, that's what must be done. When you decide to relinquish your independent heart to Him, the reality of the supernatural bond with Christ will immediately transpire (John 14:6). Then, you'll wonder why you waited so long to do this!

Scripture: Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew 5:8; Psalm 51:10; Romans 1:21; Hebrews 10:22

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I come to you today, yearning for your presence. I want to love you as You love me; and may nothing ever come between us. Amen

God bless you!

Vera

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