In this life we face multiple decisions about whether we will follow the Lord or reject His counsel and His will. In essence we will find ourselves at crossroads where we will give God our “yes” or our “no”. The sum total of those decisions will in large part determine the course of our lives and whether or not we fulfill the purposes of God in our generation.
I am thinking this morning of the multiple people in scriptures who faced tough decisions but who said, “Yes, Lord,” and followed by faith. By faith Noah being warned by God about His judgment yet to come built an ark. [Heb 11:7] It took him a long time to complete the task and surely there must have been times when Noah’s resolve ran low and he was tempted to quit. His “yes” reserved not only the animals but also his family.
Abraham gave God his “yes” when called to uproot and leave everything familiar to follow God to the unknown. [Heb 11:8] He was forced to walk and obey in blind faith having no idea what that simple “yes” was going to really mean. I am sure Abraham must have appeared very foolish and irrational to those close to him. Abraham heard from God and obeyed. The word “obeyed” means that Abraham submitted as a subordinate and conformed to what was commanded Him. We think that the only things God will ask us to do for Him will be convenient for us and fit into our comfortable lifestyles. This is not the pattern you see in the Bible. God often called people to make radical adjustments in their lives to follow Him. He still does. God spoke and required people to submit to His commands in obedience. He still speaks and calls people to submit to Him. Many times it is very inconvenient, it is very uncomfortable, and obedience requires great sacrifice. It is at this very point when many people give God their “no” and rebel against His commandments.
Is that why there are so few miracles that testify of the greatness of our God? Could it be that because so many say “no” to the Lord that is why our worship seems stale, ritualistic, and our relationship with the Lord often cold and indifferent? Every time we reject the Lord and His commandments our hearts grow a little harder, we become increasingly indifferent to His will and our ears more and more dulled to His voice.
Moses was called to an impossible task. [Heb 11: 24-28] His “yes” after some reluctance saved an entire nation and eventually gave us the Ten Commandments. Moses encountered God like a person encounters a friend. His “yes” brought him to the pinnacle of leadership and influence over people even to this day. How could he have known what that simple “yes” was going to mean for him personally and for people even to this day who read about his thrilling adventure of leading the people of Israel out of Egyptian slavery by the powerful hand of God. We have no idea how our “yes” or “no” to the Lord will impact the lives of others.
I could go on but I think you get the point by now. In every one of our lives God is bringing or has brought us in the past to moments when we will have or had to give him our “yes” or “no”. I don’t know what that will mean for you but I do know that God will call us to obey Him in things that will require us to trust Him. Some of you told the Lord “no” a long time ago and you have not been the same since. Your life has been a series of tragedies and heartaches all because you refused to submit and surrender. Your “no” has impacted more than just your life. It has negatively impacted the lives of those around you. You cannot go back and change the past but you can right here and right say, “Yes Lord,” for the rest of your days. It is only then that will know peace, fulfillment, and joy like you have never known. I am not saying that it will be easy but submitting to the Lord is always right.
I have been reading the fascinating account of the life of David Livingstone who gave God his “yes” as a young man to be a medical missionary in Africa. Livingstone was not content to set up his mission work along the coast line of Africa as missionaries before Him had done. He instead pushed further and further inland creating maps of places no white man had ever set foot and reaching out to people who had never heard the name of Jesus Christ. His “yes” meant hot jungles, dangers from lions, savage tribes, poisonous snakes, dangerous insects and often being separated from His wife for months and even years at a time. He worked tirelessly to promote the cause of Christ in Africa. He was savagely attacked by a lion on one occasion but never backed down in his mission. He lived daily to say, “Yes Lord!” His “yes” inspires me to keep saying “yes” to the Lord no matter what He calls me to do.
Will you give God your “yes” today no matter what? Will you say “yes” to the Lord to fulfill His purpose for you in your generation? Will you willingly follow Him no matter where He leads and what He leads you to do? Lord, I submit to you. I give you my “yes” no matter what that means for me personally. I will surrender and follow you with my whole heart. I will go where you lead me to go. I will do whatever you lead me to do. I only ask that my “yes” would inspire others, the multitudes to say, “Yes Lord,” with their lives so that you get all the glory. In Jesus name, amen.
I am thinking this morning of the multiple people in scriptures who faced tough decisions but who said, “Yes, Lord,” and followed by faith. By faith Noah being warned by God about His judgment yet to come built an ark. [Heb 11:7] It took him a long time to complete the task and surely there must have been times when Noah’s resolve ran low and he was tempted to quit. His “yes” reserved not only the animals but also his family.
Abraham gave God his “yes” when called to uproot and leave everything familiar to follow God to the unknown. [Heb 11:8] He was forced to walk and obey in blind faith having no idea what that simple “yes” was going to really mean. I am sure Abraham must have appeared very foolish and irrational to those close to him. Abraham heard from God and obeyed. The word “obeyed” means that Abraham submitted as a subordinate and conformed to what was commanded Him. We think that the only things God will ask us to do for Him will be convenient for us and fit into our comfortable lifestyles. This is not the pattern you see in the Bible. God often called people to make radical adjustments in their lives to follow Him. He still does. God spoke and required people to submit to His commands in obedience. He still speaks and calls people to submit to Him. Many times it is very inconvenient, it is very uncomfortable, and obedience requires great sacrifice. It is at this very point when many people give God their “no” and rebel against His commandments.
Is that why there are so few miracles that testify of the greatness of our God? Could it be that because so many say “no” to the Lord that is why our worship seems stale, ritualistic, and our relationship with the Lord often cold and indifferent? Every time we reject the Lord and His commandments our hearts grow a little harder, we become increasingly indifferent to His will and our ears more and more dulled to His voice.
Moses was called to an impossible task. [Heb 11: 24-28] His “yes” after some reluctance saved an entire nation and eventually gave us the Ten Commandments. Moses encountered God like a person encounters a friend. His “yes” brought him to the pinnacle of leadership and influence over people even to this day. How could he have known what that simple “yes” was going to mean for him personally and for people even to this day who read about his thrilling adventure of leading the people of Israel out of Egyptian slavery by the powerful hand of God. We have no idea how our “yes” or “no” to the Lord will impact the lives of others.
I could go on but I think you get the point by now. In every one of our lives God is bringing or has brought us in the past to moments when we will have or had to give him our “yes” or “no”. I don’t know what that will mean for you but I do know that God will call us to obey Him in things that will require us to trust Him. Some of you told the Lord “no” a long time ago and you have not been the same since. Your life has been a series of tragedies and heartaches all because you refused to submit and surrender. Your “no” has impacted more than just your life. It has negatively impacted the lives of those around you. You cannot go back and change the past but you can right here and right say, “Yes Lord,” for the rest of your days. It is only then that will know peace, fulfillment, and joy like you have never known. I am not saying that it will be easy but submitting to the Lord is always right.
I have been reading the fascinating account of the life of David Livingstone who gave God his “yes” as a young man to be a medical missionary in Africa. Livingstone was not content to set up his mission work along the coast line of Africa as missionaries before Him had done. He instead pushed further and further inland creating maps of places no white man had ever set foot and reaching out to people who had never heard the name of Jesus Christ. His “yes” meant hot jungles, dangers from lions, savage tribes, poisonous snakes, dangerous insects and often being separated from His wife for months and even years at a time. He worked tirelessly to promote the cause of Christ in Africa. He was savagely attacked by a lion on one occasion but never backed down in his mission. He lived daily to say, “Yes Lord!” His “yes” inspires me to keep saying “yes” to the Lord no matter what He calls me to do.
Will you give God your “yes” today no matter what? Will you say “yes” to the Lord to fulfill His purpose for you in your generation? Will you willingly follow Him no matter where He leads and what He leads you to do? Lord, I submit to you. I give you my “yes” no matter what that means for me personally. I will surrender and follow you with my whole heart. I will go where you lead me to go. I will do whatever you lead me to do. I only ask that my “yes” would inspire others, the multitudes to say, “Yes Lord,” with their lives so that you get all the glory. In Jesus name, amen.
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