Spreading Christmas Cheer

Christmas break…the perfect time to be out spreading Christmas cheer through canvassing the most valuable message books!  This Christmas break I spent canvassing near Pine Bluff Arkansas.  It was the best thing I could have ever done!  Here are just a few of my favorite experiences from the past three days, enjoy!

Sunday, my first day canvassing, I was a little surprised to be dropped off at a mall in down town Little Rock (among sky scrapers) to start the day off!  I was not scared, though a little unsure of myself, but up for a new experience and perhaps a challenge.  The first lady I spoke to me told me that Dillard's policy was no soliciting. I graciously thanked her and went to the rest of the mall. It was somewhat uneventful until I found myself back in Dillard's - a different floor. I figured since I was on a different floor - no worries about being kicked out.  I saw a cashier who didn't look busy at all.  I went and greeted her and started talking with her and canvassing her on the books.  She told me that she was looking for a church.  As I canvassed her, I felt impressed to pray that money wouldn't be an issue for her, and so I silently prayed as I canvassed her.  She was interested in the Desire of Ages and went to look in her wallet.  She came back with $10.  "I was sure I only had $5" she said, "but I found another $5 bill rolled up in my wallet."  She signed up for correspondence Bible studies as I left.  I like to think that God put the other $5 bill in her purse, although I have no way of knowing.

My next place to work was an apartment building - twelve stories high!  The door was locked, but I didn't have much time to wonder how I was going to get in as a lady sitting in the lobby came and let me in.  "Thank you!" I said.  "You are welcome, it doesn't hurt to do a kind deed in a day!" She replied.  I canvassed her, as I began she said, "I read the Bible every day, that is the only thing that enables me to live in this world the way it is today!"  I told her about the Great Controversy and highly recommended it, so we went up to her apartment room where she bought the book.  What perfect timing God has!

As I walked down the street, nearing an old white house that looked abandoned, I saw a pick up truck pull into the drive was and drive back past where I could see. I'm going to go and talk to whoever is back there, I decided as I continued to walk.  When I got back I found that it was three Hispanic guys. They lived in a dumpy trailer house, the yard scattered with empty beer bottles and cans.  I started talking to the one man, but he couldn't understand English; his friend could though.  I told him that I could get Peace Above the Storm in Spanish. "How soon?"  he asked me.  I could get it right now, I replied.  He started talking to his friend in Spanish as he continued flipping through the book for what seemed like a long time, since I couldn't tell what he was saying.  "I'll take two of them" he finally told me.  I called my leader over the radio and the man bought two books for $20!  Another experience with the perfect timing!  I want to learn Spanish, but I'm thankful that my lack thereof didn't keep me from selling not one, but two books to them!  I hope that they will read them and find true peace!

Before I knew it, it was Christmas Eve.  I wondered what it would be like canvassing on that day.  In the small town we went to, there was a church that had a Christmas Eve service at 6 pm.  It was 5 pm, and I was dropped off on a street.  The first lady I talked to bought a Peace Above the Storm. At the next door a lady bought a Lessons of Love.  In a 20 or 30 minutes, 4 books went out on that street!

Another favorite experience was when I canvassed a younger man on the Desire of Ages (among other books).  It has a picture of Jesus on the front.  When I closed him he said "I'll take this one, (the Desire of Ages) I need Jesus".  How beautiful when people see their true need - Jesus - the only one who can satisfy!

I love Christmas lights, I love Christmas, I love the beauty of the season.  I had just been dropped offed at a trailer home that had a fence around it.  It was covered in beautiful Christmas lights, even the fence and gate was beautifully colored with lights.  "Whoever lives in that house must be cheerful," my canvassing leader remarked.  I was surprised by who I saw come out of the door.  He was an older man with some tattoos, a big mustache and beard.  I could tell he had a kind heart, as I closed him on the books he said, "I don’t have any money, I am a contractor, and there is no work this time of the year.  I don’t even have enough money to buy a Christmas gift for my mother."  He hung his head, "Let's not go there."  All of a sudden an idea came to my mind!  "Does your mom read?"  I asked him.  "Yes, she reads the Bible" he answered.  I pulled out Peace Above the Storm and handed it to him.  "Here, give this to your mom for Christmas, it has large print, and it is a beautiful book, I'm sure she will enjoy it!"  It looked like a tear was  coming into his eyes as I left, all he could say was "Oh, thank you!"

Our van totaled 62 books that day, God blessed me with 13 books.  Some were sold for full price, some for less, a few were given away.  There was the lady on oxygen who bought a Peace Above the Storm, the man in the gas station who bought a Great Controversy, the waitress in a Café who bought a My Friend Jesus for her little son and daughter, and many other I can't remember the details to.  But by far my favorite experience was this one.   Being able to warm the heart of someone who otherwise, was somewhat discouraged in the holiday season!  Bring cheer to someone who looked cheery from the outside Christmas lights, that cheered me!  It truly is more blessed to give then to receive!

Broken Hearts

How do you define heart break?  A dictionary definition defines it as "Devastating sorrow and despair!"  Pain is something I don't like, the idea of being broken just doesn't sound comfortable.  I want to be competent, successful, happy, you feel in the blank, ANYTHING but hurt, broken, empty....

I recently found these paragraphs regarding a broken heart:

"Jesus gazes upon the scene, and the vast multitude hush their shouts, spellbound by the sudden vision of beauty. All eyes turn upon the Saviour, expecting to see in His countenance the admiration they themselves feel. But instead of this they behold a cloud of sorrow. They are surprised and disappointed to see His eyes fill with tears, and His body rock to and fro like a tree before the tempest, while a wail of anguish bursts from His quivering lips, as if from the depths of a broken heart. What a sight was this for angels to behold! their loved Commander in an agony of tears! What a sight was this for the glad throng that with shouts of triumph and the waving of palm branches were escorting Him to the glorious city, where they fondly hoped He was about to reign! Jesus had wept at the grave of Lazarus, but it was in a godlike grief in sympathy with human woe. But this sudden sorrow was like a note of wailing in a grand triumphal chorus. In the midst of a scene of rejoicing, where all were paying Him homage, Israel’s King was in tears; not silent tears of gladness, but tears and groans of insuppressible agony. The multitude were struck with a sudden gloom. Their acclamations were silenced. Many wept in sympathy with a grief they could not comprehend." DA 575.3

"The tears of Jesus were not in anticipation of His own suffering. Just before Him was Gethsemane, where soon the horror of a great darkness would overshadow Him. The sheepgate also was in sight, through which for centuries the beasts for sacrificial offerings had been led. This gate was soon to open for Him, the great Antitype, toward whose sacrifice for the sins of the world all these offerings had pointed. Near by was Calvary, the scene of His approaching agony. Yet it was not because of these reminders of His cruel death that the Redeemer wept and groaned in anguish of spirit. His was no selfish sorrow. The thought of His own agony did not intimidate that noble, self-sacrificing soul. It was the sight of Jerusalem that pierced the heart of Jesus—Jerusalem that had rejected the Son of God and scorned His love, that refused to be convinced by His mighty miracles, and was about to take His life. He saw what she was in her guilt of rejecting her Redeemer, and what she might have been had she accepted Him who alone could heal her wound. He had come to save her; how could He give her up?" DA 576.1

What really struck me as I read this is that Jesus' tears were NOT in anticipation of His own suffering, not for the separation from is Father or for the cruel death He was about to endure!  Just let that sink in...I had to!  What unselfishness!  What love!  For all the times I've been afraid of being hurt, afraid of pain, for all the times I've complained to God and said "I can't take this", and yet look at the example He has set for me!

What breaks my heart?  What do I weep over?  Where are my affections?  How often am I upset over selfish reason?  I find myself so self-centered and focused on what pleases me.  What about the souls whom Christ died for?  What about those who have never heard the name Jesus before?  What about the children starving in other countries, while I have more than enough?  Should not my heart ache for those souls?  Should not my heart throb in unison with my Savior who desires that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance?

My mind goes back several weeks ago, as I was sitting in class.  We had a guest speaker speaking, his topic was world religions.  I set enthrolled, learning of religions I knew little about.  As I heard about those who believe that life=suffering, that we are reincarnated, and the whole purpose of life is to never live again, but to die and be at peace, my heart felt something I have never felt to that extent before!  An aching for those who know nothing of Jesus' love, a burden for the unreached.  I started crying and couldn't stop till I was alone in prayer after class.  I wish I could say that has been the only thing I have cried over this semester!  I wish I could say this was more common, but sadly it isn't.

How often does loneliness, separation, or broken hopes, make us feel broken-hearted?  And yet, Jesus was willing to go through separation, the cruelest death ever, but what broke his heart was the thought that maybe His sacrifice would not be accepted and would not break my stubborn heart!  The chosen nation He had poured so much into was rejecting Him, His CLOSEST friends, betrayed Him, but HE DIDN'T give up.  He knew not if His hope that souls would be eternally saved, would come to pass, He couldn't see past the tomb.  FOREVER separtated from the love of His Heavenly Father, from the place where He was loved appreciated, accepted, worshiped, adored.  AND YET, He was willing to take the risk, for me....for you!  Even though He didn't KNOW we would accept!  What love is this!

What a rebuke to me when I wonder why I invest in friendships, why I need to live in vulnerability, why I need to be a part of community, why I need to love with no ulterior motives.  My heart is so proud!  How hard-hearted I am!

I found these definitions to the word "broken" particularly interesting: "Reduced to fragments, not functioning properly."  Ironically, that is just what God desires of us - that we be reduced to fragments, that self would not be seen but that only Christ's Character can show through!  We can never function properly alone, as hard as it may be for proud human being to admit!  Without Christ, we are broken fragments! Our heart is aching to be filled with a love that only Someone Who's heart has already been broken for ours, can truly satisfy! 

"God...will respect the broken heart, the confession of sins, the contrition of the soul.  The cry of the humble, broken heart He will not despise."

Heavenly Father, give me a TRULY broken heart for You, I pray!

I love how God ties everything together, and gives us just the message we need to here when we need to hear it!  I had that twice today!  Once in morning prayer group, and once in worship this evening.  Even sang the same song (with a different group of people)!  When I hear something once that I know is from God, I go "Yes, that is good!  Thank you Lord!"  But I guess some of us need to hear things twice to really get the message and take it to heart! So when I hear the same thing twice I think, "Wow!  I need to really DO something about that!" All of the sudden the things I am holding on to pale in comparison to the message of peace God is offering me!

The topic was about how God gives us peace and He doesn't want us to be anxious.  To know God is to know peace, no God=no peace.  God truly wants me to trust him-in fact, He is willing to help me trust Him - to teach me how to trust!  If He cares for the birds, the grass and the flowers, I know he cares for every little thing that concerns me!  What a wonderful Heavenly Father I have!  What helped me is to fill in the blank, I may not be worrying about food or clothes, but to put my own worries, my own perplexities into it made it more personal.  And then to think that those are all the things that the Gentiles seek after!  Mercy!  Where is my heart? Why do I worry about the things I do?  What keeps me from trusting God more fully?

Could it be that I want to be in control?  I want to be the one to know what my future is going to hold, what decisions to make next, etc., etc.  The verse "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" took on new meaning to me.  Am I seeking God and His kingdom first, or am I seeking to satisfy myself?

May we each truly seek God and follow the true peace-Giver!

True Surrender

As I began to pen the words in my prayer journal, I stopped.  I had been praying, "Lord, teach me how to really surrender to You".  At that moment, I suddenly realized how hard it was for me to really surrender that thing to God.  "Lord, I don't know what to do in this situation, please give me wisdom, please show me what to do, please help me...." but that wasn't the prayer God wanted me to pray for this situation, the prayer He was asking me to pray was, "Father, I surrender this one totally to You!"

There are times in our lives when God brings us to situations that we can't control, we feel totally helpless to bring about an outcome.  Nothing we can do works.  It's a dead end street!  It's that feeling of utter helplessness, "I can't handle this one God!"

And so I was left with a decision, I could either give it totally to God or.....what else could I do?

I'm the type of person who likes to solve problems, who loves a challenge.  I want to be able to figure people out, situations, questions.  But this one I couldn't, period.  I wanted to ask God to show me what "to do" about it; what a self-centered, self-sufficient, un-surrendered prayer!  "Just give me the map, the plan!"  "Give me the directions Lord, I'll make this work out!"  "Or, I'll just give up.  I don't have to have a good attitude about this, I don't have to be nice, I'll just avoid the situation!"  Perfect fix, right?  When you can't do anything to change it, when you can't control it, when it's not working out how you think it should, just avoid it, let down any expectations you have.  Forget about it!

But is that true surrender?   No.  Neither scenario is surrender.  You see surrender isn't a "yes", nor is it a "no".  It's not always God saying, "Here's what I want you to do, even  though you don't want to do it".  Nor is it always, "Here's what to avoid, here's what to give up."  Too often I have viewed surrender as giving up something, as saying "No", "I'm giving this up for God."  But I think surrender is deeper than that, I think it's harder than that, it penetrates from our heart...really from the heart of God!

You see, giving up things is something we can do in our own strength. It's almost a works orientated religion, "I'll give this to you and this and this."         1 Corinthians 13:3 says: "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."  The ultimate sacrifice, giving our bodies to be burned; Wow! that's surrender, right?  And yet the Word of God says, "It will profit you nothing."

God requires obedience not sacrifice.  But then we must find out, what does he require of us?  What does His commandment say?  "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."  John 15:12

Simple.  Deep.  Difficult!  Love - true love!  In every situation, whether difficult or easy, whether you feel like it or not.  That's surrender.  Being willing to say, "Lord, I trust you".  "Lord, I give the outcome of these situations to You.  I'm not out there for what I can gain, I'm just going to have to live by your law and love no matter what happens."

Surrender.  Being willing to leave the results to God.  Not having an opinion in a given situation.  Not having a hidden agenda beneath the surface.  Not trying to work out your own problems.  Not giving up when things aren't working out the way you think they should.  Waiting on God's timing.  Letting God lead in your life.  Loving when you don't feel like it, loving when you don't see the benefits, loving without any hidden motives, loving when it doesn't come naturally, loving even when it hurts, loving like Jesus when you don't see why you should....That's surrender!

Waiting for God's Timing

"The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him to the soul that seeketh Him.  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord."  
-Lamentations 3:25-26

Waiting....Not something I like to have to do.  Imagine you are standing at the back of a long row of people waiting for the checkout lane in the local grocery story.  Or maybe you are running late to an appointment, and you get caught in a traffic jam.  Patience! There's a reason it's called a virtue!  While these little examples can put a grin on our faces for those of us who have experienced them, what about the big things?  There's life decisions - decisions that affect your future life, happiness, and well-being, in short, the direction of your life.

I remember waiting to go to college, it seemed like the time would never be right!  If I would have started college at the time when I wanted to (and thought I was ready) I would be a Junior by now, but I would have missed out on the plan that God had for me all along!

There are greater things than what I've mentioned.  What about waiting for heaven?  We all long for something better, to be reunited with love ones who have passed away, to live eternally where there will never be any pain, and to have all our tears will be wiped a way. Most of all, we long to see our Redeemer, the Savior who is our best Friend and to be able to cast our crowns at His feet saying, "He died for me!"  Patience, waiting....

"The Lord is good to them that wait for Him...."  The interesting thing I find in this verse is that it says we should wait for the salvation of the Lord.  Don't we all have salvation already?  Colossians 1:13&14 speaking of our Heavenly Father says, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.  In whom we have redemption through His blood even the forgiveness of sins."  "Hath delivered" = past tense.  "We have redemption" = present tense.  So what are we to make of this?  Why do we have to wait for our salvation when we are already saved?

Let me give you some examples of the omniscient God we serve.  First of all, He told Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I anointed you as a prophet to the nations."  Jeremiah 1:5.  Just as assuredly as God knew Jeremiah, and had a plan for his life, He knows each of us!  You see, before I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, before I knew how to study the Bible, God had already planned where I would go through the SALT program (school of Evangelism at Southern).  Before my mom planned on helping out with an evangelistic series over twenty years ago, God had already planned for my dad to be there so they could meet each other.  Before my dad ever felt called to ministry, God already knew what conference president would hire him.

Could it be that although God give us the promise of salvation now, we are still waiting for the ultimate fulfillment?  Maybe God is trying to tell us that we can have perfect rest, assurance, joy, and peace as we wait on His perfect timing to reveal His salvation in our lives.  But notice here, it's not that we don't have an answer, it's just that we are not yet ready to receive His answers!  He says that we can be "confident of this very thing that He which hath begun a good work in you shall perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

You see, everything in our lives is predicted by God, nothing slips the notice of His eyes.  Our future is not something vague. We are not left to wander around through life without a map, without a plan.  The answer to our prayer is not something far-off in the distance. Praying and waiting on God isn't some mythical formula; it is predictable, it's something-Someone- that we can stake our future, our entire lives upon!!  It's just a matter of timing.  "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time...."  Ecclesiastes 3:11.  How beautiful!  What a God we serve!   We have Someone who knows when we are ready for the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.  He knows when we are ready for each of the new steps we have to take in life. Where I would push ahead, he holds me back and whispers "wait", where I would be afraid to plunge forward and work for Him, He says "trust me, you can do all things through My strength."

I am reminded of a story in the Bible where Daniel was given a vision regarding what would take place in the future.  The vision made him sick, because he did not know what the interpretation was.  Daniel had been fasting and praying. He says "while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel....touched me about the time of the evening oblation.  And he informed me, and talked with me, and said O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.  At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision."  Daniel 9:21-23  From the very beginning of Daniel's prayer, the angel Gabriel had been sent forth to answer his prayer and give him wisdom and understanding!

Whatever you are waiting for in your life, whatever you are praying for now, know that we serve a God who cares!  Each of us is a beloved child of God, as much as Daniel was.  He says to us "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee."  Jeremiah 31:3.  We are given such beautiful promises from the Word of God!  He tells us:  "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."  Isaiah 65:24.  "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.  Isaiah 30:21

God is the Creator, our Master Designer, He has the blueprint for our lives, and all He is waiting is for us to do is give him the paint brush!!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  

-Jeremiah 29:11

God is Faithful!!

There are some things you can't fully understand unless you just wait and let God work it out.  There are some things that words just cannot express, you just have to experience it.  And then there are those things that we will really not fully understand, or fully experience till heaven.  But until then, I will use finite words, to paint an imperfect picture, of the understanding, the glimpse of heaven on this earth that I have been privileged to experience here!

"Let's pray", I said to Jaime, my outreach, partner as we drove to the meetings.  "I think we should go straight to pick up our friend (a Bible study contact), and not call her first, we don't want to give her the opportunity to say no." We began praying and pleading for her, that God would take away the pain of her knee surgery, that the Holy Spirit would place in her a deeper desire to come to the meetings, and that we would have the right words to say.  I claimed the promises such as "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."  Matthew 5:6;  and "So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void...."  Isaiah 55:11. In my heart there was another prayer in the back of my mind...let me explain.

You see this week my parents had been visiting from out of State and I hadn't had very much time to spend with them.  Saturday night there would be a big family get-together (aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.)  I told my parents, "I don't think I am going to be able to make it, I really want to be at the meetings."  I am very blessed to have a family that while they value our family and love to spend time together, they value God more, and they wouldn't force me to choose them over anything else.  But if that wasn't enough, Friday night, another family get together, a early Thanksgiving meal pops up.  "I really wish you could come to this one", my mom said.  That made it harder to say no.  I didn't think I should choose family over the meetings, but I decided to pray about it one more time.  As I began to pray for wisdom the impression came upon me, "Why are you praying that, you already know the answer?  You need to be there to pick up Mrs. M, and be there for her!"  The words of Jesus flooded into my mind, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother....yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."  Luke 14:26.  The word hate there means to love less.  Do I love Jesus and His work more than the closest family in my life?  My decision was made!

And so my prayer was, "Lord you know I have chosen this over spending time with my family, I've made this sacrifice, please reward me and help Mrs. M, to come!"  Then I was slightly rebuked as I thought, "I cannot merit anything, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, he died for her!  I am to claim HIS merits, He desires her to come more than I ever could!!"

Mrs. M. decided to venture out!  Her first outing other than physical therapy since her knee replacement!  I couldn't keep my joy in!  I wondered if people were looking at me funny, I just couldn't keep a straight face, I was smiling the whole meeting!  I honestly hadn't felt such joy since my baptism.  Sacrifice?  Really??  She said she enjoyed the meetings, and that the speaker seemed like a really nice man.

All of the sudden, I realized how perfect the timing had been.  It reflected on where I was in life, God is asking me to seek my fulfillment, my ultimate joy, in His service.  Whether it means being separated from my family because of mission/ministry work, or any unknown struggle I may find in the future!  As I look ahead, at the bright future, college, life, dreams, God wants my heart, He wants me to find a family in the church family, He wants His heart and His service to be what fills my heart!  He loves me more than anyone else can ever!  He can fill me with more joy than anyone or anything else this world could EVER offer!

As I think back over the evening, and the joy that the Lord filled me with, I have to ask myself the question, Can life get any better than this?  If there is one thing I have learned in the past few years, it is that the most fulfillment I have ever found in my life is through serving my beloved Savior!!

I may never fully understand His purposes, why some people come to the meetings, why others do not, why God asks us to give up things, why God asks us to give up all.  But one thing I can know, God knows the best, and He needs my heart, He needs me to surrender all to Him so I can be used by Him.  And no matter how much joy even if it be joy in suffering here on this earth that I experience, there will be so much more depths of His love to plunge into for all of eternity!!

But there's more to the story....life continues here on earth while we wait and work until heaven.....

So anther busy week starts, before I know it it's Tuesday - the day I go canvassing.  Last week I had chosen canvassing over spending time with my family, and I hadn't sold any books.  I woke up with a prayer on my lips, "Lord you will have to help me accomplish a lot today, I have lots of homework, but I can't miss canvassing, and I know this is your work, the best work, so please prepare the hearts of the people I am going to be meeting tonight, I will work for You, the results are up to You!"

The two hours I had for homework, went very fast, as I poured over a book, I have two days to finish reading before the book report is due, the clock chimed 4, before I knew it I was running to work.  I usually never set goals, and books is my focus not money, but today I thought, "Wouldn't be a blessing if I earned $100 working today?  I know God cold do it through generous donations!"

The evening was a blessing-3 hours or canvassing and door knocking, and the result?  I can't even keep track of all the stories, a lady buys a Great Controversy (for her son who likes history!) and I give her a God's Answers too.  A lady gives me $10 for no books, an Adventist Professor buys a book for $20 to help me out, someone buys a cookbook for $30, a college student buys a God's Answers.  So the evening ended, with 6 books being sold!  Now, I have canvassed for 3 years now, and there are whole days you work without selling 6 books.  As I counted up the money, it totaled $117!  What a blessing!!  God truly knows how to reward us!

God is so faithful!  I don't deserve it!  I didn't do anything to earn His blessings.... but, He just keeps pouring them out upon me!  His mercies are knew every morning, "great is Thy faithfulness". Lamentations 3:23  He says: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33.  And "Them that honor me I will honor." 1 Samuel 2:30.  The Lord is faithful, He keeps His promises!!  What a wonderful God we serve!

When We Give Our All

Oh what do we give up when we give him our all?
Oh what do we lose when we surrender to Him?

Oh what do we have to gain when seeking to satisfy ourselves?  Shall we not turn from our broken cisterns to the fountain that flows pure and free?

Oh what can we give in exchange for our souls?  Can the treasures of this life compare with eternities?

Oh what do we have to fear, oh where is the pain in letting Christ guide? His plans for us our good, His peace flows as a river.

Oh what do we fear and why do we wait to give Him our all?

Our hearts desires, our dreams, our failures, those deep places hid away.  What will they really do for us?  How is it that we think we can plan our own lives, and carve happiness from the things of this life?  How is it that we tremble at the feet of One who willing gave all for us?

How is it that when cares roll upon us, we paddle the oars as we float along alone?

Where is our heart where do we turn when friends fail, and family is far away, dreams and goals disappoint our strength fades to feebleness?

Oh what have we to lose by turning from our empty cup, to the One whose cup overflows?

Oh why do we tarry so long, when Jesus promises to walk with us?

Oh why do we cling to the things of this earth, to our dreams, to our passions, our pride?When Jesus says He that loveth His life will lose it but He that loses His life for my sake will find it?

Oh what do we have to risk, oh why do we hold back?  Oh why do we scurry here and scurry there, looking for fulfillment in every place except the only One who can truly satisfy?

Oh friend, what do you have to lose?  Oh sister surrender to Him.  Oh brother let him strengthen you for his service.  Oh what do we give up when we give up all?  Oh what do we have to lose?  Jesus stands at the door of our heart pleading and waiting expectantly, Oh how can we leave him waiting outside, when our hearts are so empty and cold?  Oh how can we keep on going lukewarm, oh how can we keep running on an empty tank?  Oh why do we trust a heart that is deceitful, over a heart that is warm with love?  A heart that gave all a heart that yearns over us, a heart that weeps over us, a heart that prays over us with quivering lip, a heart that will not let us go.  Oh how can we turn from a heart that is pursuing us so relentlessly, to pursue those things that will never truly satisfy?  

"You who in heart long for something better than this world can give, recognize this longing as the voice of God to your soul." 
- Steps to Christ pg. 28 

“In giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would separate us from Him.  Hence the Savior says, "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he that, he cannot be My disciple."  Luke 14:33.  Whatever shall draw away the heart from God must be given up." 
- Steps to Christ pg. 44 

“But what do we give up, when we give all?  A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus to purify, to cleanse by His own blood, and to save by His matchless love.  And yet men think it is hard to give up all!  I am ashamed to hear it spoken of, ashamed to write it.  God does not require us to give up anything that it is for our best interest to retain.  In all that He does, He has the well-being of His children in view.  Would that all who have not chosen Christ might realize that He has something vastly better to offer them than they are seeking for themselves." 
- Steps to Christ 46

Oh what can we compare to the sacrifice of Christ?  Oh what can we exchange to be worthy of His matchless love?  Oh give Him your heart today!!