Re:Verse reading–Acts 20:17-38 (day four)
V. 22 – “And now, behold, bound by the Spirit…”
Paul was urged…constrained…compelled…pressed…to be obedient to the Spirit of God. It seems that the more you are committed to obey God, the more certain God will be in giving you guidance. A life lived in submission and obedience to God is rewarded by God’s active work in your live to do His will. An occasional burst of consecration will not suffice. George Muller’s life was an example of this principle. Muller’s life of complete dependence upon God resulted in God’s rich provision for his ministry with children. In our passage, Paul was bound…in other words, he had no choice but to obey!
How about your life? Are you so committed to obey God that He moves and works actively in your life? A quote attributed to Dwight L. Moody says, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” Will you be that man or woman?
I totally agreed, “An occasional burst of consecration will not suffice”. This sounds like part of our lives will be for God and part will be for Satan or vice versa. We either give our lives to the Lord in order to receive God’s salvation or will never enter God’s Kingdom. Is there such a situation in which we will obey someone something and decide not to obey what we don’t like? It won’t work! If we choose God’s way, we will listen to His Word and we will obey and trust His word.
Consecration is the door for us to enjoy all the riches of God’s salvation. I have come to believe that when we give ourselves to the Lord, He will lead us in our experience into the enjoyment of the rich blessings of God’s full salvation.
God’s way or our way! Satan loves our way as He can influence us. We will not have full enjoyment or peace in life if we walk with God just half way and walk with Satan the other half.
George Muller was a great example for giving one’s life to God. He gave his life to God in the later part of his life. Through his examples, he shows us how to learn God’s Word and shows us the value of giving one’s life to God more than to receive from God! I am convinced that God will bless us more if we give our lives to Him than to receive from Him.