To Follow Jesus or My Own Agenda

 “I have decided to follow Jesus
 No turning back, no turning back”
 That is a song I knew and sing still
 I have decided to follow Christ
  
 Those words are words- until we follow
 And actually do not turn back
 But we are often just religious
 Not knowing what following means
  
 Following Jesus- means presenting
 Our own body unto God
 Present our body- acceptable, holy
 As living sacrifice to God
  
 For following- is consecration
 And loving God above all things
 With all our mind and strength and soul
 And all our soul and loving people
  
 And following, is too, obeying
 Obeying always Voice of God
 And letting Him you guide each moment
 And do His will in every moment
 ***  
 But recently, I God did worship
 Myself presented I to God
 As living sacrifice to Him
 To use me as He wishes, wants
  
 But then I had my own agenda
 My own agenda I still had
 Of things I needed to accomplish
 Get done and do and finish well
  
 God interrupted my agenda
 And told me to visit a friend
 And pray for her and for her healing
 But I did not obey Him then
  
 It’s inconvenient, I thought
 I’m unprepared, I am not ready
 I can’t right now, too much to do
 With God I argued, obeyed not
 ***  
 And thus I learned what is surrender
 It is His will- each time, each day
 It’s laying down your own agenda 
 And doing what God wants you do
  
 It’s not just saying you will follow
 It’s not just saying “I am Yours”
 It’s self-denying and cross taking
 And following no matter what
  
 Lord, please forgive me, burn in me
 Each root in me that’s still self-centered
 That seeks my own, my own will, way
 Each root of pride, in me, Lord burn 
  
 And set me Lord- on fire for You
 I want Your will in my life done
 Help me my mind to renew daily
 And help me Lord to honor You
  
 I want to love the way You love
 And love so much- that I’ll obey You 
 For every time when I obey not
 It’s proof that I lack love for You.
   

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” Romans 12:1-2

  “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” Luke 10:27

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments” John 14:15 

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  John 14:21 NKJV

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous” 1 John 5:2-3 

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” Luke 9:23 

• Father, give me the grace to daily present my body unto You as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God. And when it becomes painful and inconvenient, give me the grace to not get off the alter of surrender.

• It is my reasonable service to present my self unto God. Lord, I present to You myself now.

• Help me to renew my mind daily so that I will not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind

• Father, I do not want to just say I love God. I want to truly love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength- every single day and moment of my life. I want to love my neighbor as myself always- not just sometimes.

• The fact that sometimes I do not do Your will proves that I do not always love You. I want to love You so much that I always do Your commandants, always do Your will. I want to be a constant doer of Your Word, not hearer only.

• Father, Your commandments are not grievous. And when they feel difficult to follow or feel grievous- it is proof that I have not loved You the way You deserve to be loved

• I do not want to just say I deny myself, take up my cross and follow Jesus. I want that to be a daily reality of my life.

Thank You for strengthening me with might by Your Spirit. Thank You for helping me get rooted and grounded in Your love. Help me to know the love of Christ more and more each day.