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Output over Outcomes

"The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become"-C.S. Lewis

Control might be the most difficult thing a person can give up.  We live in a world that screams control.  How often do you fall into the trap that you can change your circumstances with some tips from a magazine, motivational speaker, advertisement, and even from your friends and family. How often do you rely on your outcomes over your output?  The world will trick you into thinking you are in control, when really you aren't.  Whenever your eyes are off of Jesus, things in your life will work to mask His great and wonderful plan.  Whenever your eyes are off of Jesus, things can, and most of the time are, comfortable!  The enemy wants you to be comfortable and stagnant.  You choose each and every day who you surrender to.  We can choose to be obedient to God and His plan, or we can choose to live our own way.

For those of you that were like me in high school, I always wanted the "Spark Notes" so that I didn't have to read the full book.  Here is a spark note:  No matter your circumstances, your decisions, your wins, your failures,...God has a plan, and that plan will be accomplished with your approval or without.  Joby Martin from The Church of Eleven22 has been taking us through Romans and we all know that in Romans 8:28 we get that feel good "God causes all things to work together for good" message.  So if God causes all things to work together for good, then why would you still question his plan?  Why would you surrender to the enemy?  It's actually quite simple to a person who has seen both sides.  Surrendering to the enemy is easy, surrendering to God is hard (at first).  Surrendering to the enemy is subtle.  Satan will papercut us to death with our natural need to know, the need to have control, and the need to survive.  The enemy will give us the natural answer at our own level of understanding while God gives us the answer on the Supernatural level that we cannot understand.  God asks us to take a step when we don't see a bridge.  God asks us to give up what we hold onto the tightest:  our life.

To truly experience the glory of God and to really be a useful extension of God, you must release the white knuckle grip that you have on your life.  The grip we have on our life is a façade used to keep us in the cage of our own natural certainty.  God wants so much more for you though and wants you to experience the SUPERNATURAL certainty through Jesus Christ!  It takes more than just a "leap of faith," it takes a commitment to pursue consistently and constantly.

My prayer for you this week is that you focus on the output over the outcomes.  Pour out the worldly desires and fill your cup with the eternal supernatural grace of God.  We already know the outcome because of Jesus, so what is stopping you from making the most pivotal pivot of your life?  Turn from yourself and give yourself to God.  I always have said that it is the most amazing thing when I see people in their "element."  A professional athlete on the court, a musician with their instrument, or a writer with their pen....it is no different with God.  You are fully in your element when you are seeking God first and living in obedience to His word.  Be what you were created to be, find your element through the constant pursuit of Jesus, and in return you will find yourself.

Song of the week:  "Take Over" Shane and Shane






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