How willing are you to allow God full control over every part of your life? Every conversation? The activities of everyday?

He’s with us in all these, but sometimes as a silent bystander only. Because too many of us just want things our way, want to say what we’re going to say, do what we’re going to do, and assert it was good, as of it was God. But it’s really only loyalty to the ‘self.’

This grieves God.

He’s after our hearts and this requires more than basic obedience, like rule following. It requires the full surrender of our heart, mind, will, emotions, and even physical body (e.g. fasting). This is submission to Him. Through full submission to Him, we we learn to become His intimate friend. There are no short cuts to this process, it’s full submission to His heart, knowing we can trust Him in everything, or it’s not, it’s nothing. Because partial submission is no submission.

The invitation to be His loyal intimate friend is for every one. Few have taken this road in the past. Our bibles and church history makes this clear.

Can we be the generation that sees this change? This is my life’s goal: Raise surrendered worshipers, people submitted to God’s heart in every area of life, people who have become His loyal, intimate friend, who will go after His plans and purposes, no matter the cost…

Well that’s the point too. The cost is high. It’s so extremely high, it’s our ego. Who is willing to lay down their life for this?

The American church has been far too comfortable for far too many years. People pick and chose a church the same way we chose menu items at a restaurant. We seek our comfort and make an idol of our preferences… while there are brothers and sisters in other nations who are losing their lives for the gospel everyday.

The cost to following Jesus, in Spirit and truth, is extremely high. But, there is no better life. Loyally following His heart, submitted in every area, gains us the place of intimate friend of Jesus. It’s not safe. It’s not comfortable. But His friendship makes it all worth it.