I am ready for anything

through the strength of the one

Who lives within me

Philippians 4:13

the subject for today is:

Acquiescence or control?

Let us again open the Bible and read some from it

Today from: Philippians 4:10-20 (ASV)

Philippians 4:10-20 (ASV)

¹⁰ But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity.  ¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.  ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.  ¹³ I can do all things in him that strengthens me.  ¹⁴ Howbeit ye did well that ye had fellowship with my affliction.  ¹⁵ And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only;  ¹⁶ for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need.  ¹⁷ Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.  ¹⁸ But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.  ¹⁹ And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  ²⁰ Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen

Dear Friends,

As we unfold this thrilling theme of The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die, it is becoming increasingly obvious that God gives us a choice - a choice of either to live or to die.

·         We can live for the fulfillment of our own desires,

·         or we can die to our desires and live for His.

This is perhaps the moment that we should come to grips with the question which people often ask when this issue of "dying to self" is raised: "Isn't this a terribly passive attitude to life? And doesn't it tend to diminish personal responsibility and self-control?"

John Dewey, the famous American educator, held that view.

Once, when lecturing to his students, he drew a line down a blackboard and on one side listed those systems of thought which teach control, and on the other those systems that teach acquiescence.

On the "control" side he put "science", and on the "acquiescence" side he put "religion". To be fair, he should have written, "Some forms of religion".

The religion of Jesus Christ does not produce passive and acquiescent disciples, but surrendered disciples - surrendered to God, but surrendered to nothing else. They rise from the dust of self-surrender to lay hold on the raw materials of life - good, bad and indifferent - and use them. Would you describe the early Christians as passive and acquiescent? I wouldn't.

Surrendered - yes. Acquiescent - no. Surrendering to God so that He may work in and through us may at first seen passive, but actually it represents the most amazingly positive and active method of dealing with life. Other ways are possible, but no other way is as powerful.

Prayer:

Gracious and loving heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You show me a way of life that doesn't demean me, but develops me. I fall at Your feet, and lo - I rise to new purposes and new achievements. I am eternally grateful. Amen.

Further study:

Phil. 2:12-30; Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 9:8

1.       What are we able to do when God works in us?

2.       What does God's grace produce in us?

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