Hi Brian,
The word for this week is "surrender". This word is used four times in the Amplified New Testament. The first is found in Luke 14:33:
33 So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say goodbye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.
This is the Greek word "apotassoo". Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines this as: set apart, to separate oneself. Everything and everyone in our lives must fall in line behind our relationship and fellowship with Jesus. He must have first place! When He does, all of the rest of our lives, especially the people we love, will be blessed by the results! The next reference is Romans 1:16:
16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
This is the Greek word "pisteuo". Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says: to have faith (in, upon), to entrust, to put trust in. The "surrender" here is of our own efforts to rely on His ability. The next reference is Romans 6:16:
16 Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?
This the Greek word "paristanoo". Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines this as: to present, to offer to yield, to dedicate. When we "surrender" or "yield" our will to line up with God's will, the results are far better than anything we could accomplish on our own! Being HIS "slave" is the most liberating thing we could ever do! The last reference is found in 1 Corinthians 13:3:
3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
This is the Greek word "paradidoomi". Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to give over, to give into the hands of another, to permit, to allow. This is just simply saying that anything that we do without the motive of God's love is useless and brings no rewards. Our motive in all the good that we do needs to be that they see God's love for them through our lives. He gets all the credit and we get the rewards, here on earth and also in Heaven!
In the world, surrender can have such a negative connotation, but in the eyes of God, the surrendering of our will and our way for His reveals our love for, and confidence in, HIM! Here is "Age To Age" by Hillsong United:
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
