We’re facing lots of unknowns, and we’ll be stronger facing them together.”
–Ralph Compton (The Goodnight Trail)
“When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”
–Romans 1:12 (NLT)
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“I surrender all,
I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.”
–J.W. Van DeVenter
I imagine many of you know that chorus, and possibly have sung it. Back in the “olden days” when hymns were sung, it was one of the main songs used for altar calls. Hymns and altars, hmmm, a thing of the past, but that’s another topic. Right now concentrate on those few words. All–consecration! I want to take time to look at this hymn and some words from F.B. Meyer on the idea of surrendering all, or consecration.
“All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His service daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasure all forsaken,
Take me Jesus, take me now.”
“All!” what does that mean? What is giving ourselves to Jesus? Meyer says that “Consecration is giving Jesus His own. We are His by right, because He bought us with His blood. But, alas! He has not had His money’s worth! He paid for all, and He had had but a fragment of our energy, time, and earnings.” We have robbed Him. We stay home from church and use the virus as an excuse, completely ignoring the words of Scripture. We keep money to ourselves that rightly belongs to the Lord, and I’m not just talking about tithes, but “all” belongs to Him. We are but stewards.
A couple more stanzas:
“All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.”
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'” (John 14:23, NASB) I don’t know if you have read this verse or not before, but look at it closely. I know that Paul declares in Romans that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:39). However, look closely at what Meyer calls manifested love. “This doorway is very narrow, and the entrance is only possible for those who will lay aside weights as well as sins. A weight is anything which, without being essentially wrong or hurtful to others, is yet a hindrance to ourselves.” (Meyer)
Do you have weights that need to be surrendered? Are they holding you back from the best that the Lord has for you? Notice that the verse in John deals with obedience, that means the giving of the will to God. We cry to love Him, but do we love Him with our will? With our emotions? With our minds? Are we consecrated enough that ALL belongs to Him?
“All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
O the joy of full salvation,
Glory, glory to His name.”
Do you feel it? The refiner’s fire; the sacred flame of the Holy Spirit burning deep within you. It is vital in this day that we not live a wishy-washy, half-hearted Christian life, but one that is wholly acceptable to Him. Repent of sins; give Him the weights that so easily beset you (Hebrews 12:1).
——————————————————–
“I surrender all,
I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.”
–J.W. Van DeVenter
I imagine many of you know that chorus, and possibly have sung it. Back in the “olden days” when hymns were sung, it was one of the main songs used for altar calls. Hymns and altars, hmmm, a thing of the past, but that’s another topic. Right now concentrate on those few words. All–consecration! I want to take time to look at this hymn and some words from F.B. Meyer on the idea of surrendering all, or consecration.
“All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His service daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasure all forsaken,
Take me Jesus, take me now.”
“All!” what does that mean? What is giving ourselves to Jesus? Meyer says that “Consecration is giving Jesus His own. We are His by right, because He bought us with His blood. But, alas! He has not had His money’s worth! He paid for all, and He had had but a fragment of our energy, time, and earnings.” We have robbed Him. We stay home from church and use the virus as an excuse, completely ignoring the words of Scripture. We keep money to ourselves that rightly belongs to the Lord, and I’m not just talking about tithes, but “all” belongs to Him. We are but stewards.
A couple more stanzas:
“All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.”
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'” (John 14:23, NASB) I don’t know if you have read this verse or not before, but look at it closely. I know that Paul declares in Romans that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:39). However, look closely at what Meyer calls manifested love. “This doorway is very narrow, and the entrance is only possible for those who will lay aside weights as well as sins. A weight is anything which, without being essentially wrong or hurtful to others, is yet a hindrance to ourselves.” (Meyer)
Do you have weights that need to be surrendered? Are they holding you back from the best that the Lord has for you? Notice that the verse in John deals with obedience, that means the giving of the will to God. We cry to love Him, but do we love Him with our will? With our emotions? With our minds? Are we consecrated enough that ALL belongs to Him?
“All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
O the joy of full salvation,
Glory, glory to His name.”
Do you feel it? The refiner’s fire; the sacred flame of the Holy Spirit burning deep within you. It is vital in this day that we not live a wishy-washy, half-hearted Christian life, but one that is wholly acceptable to Him. Repent of sins; give Him the weights that so easily beset you (Hebrews 12:1).