The final Simple Truth About Life is that in order to win you have to lose. Jesus said in Mark 8:35 that if you try to save your life you will lose it, but if you will lose your life for Jesus and the gospel your life will be saved. We often think about winning at the game of life as having the most power or possessions. However Jesus challenges us to live differently. He says that we win when we give our lives to God.
A question that came to me following my message yesterday was, "how do I know that I have given my life to God?" I think this is an important question. Many people have an experience as a young person of giving their life to God, but then as an adult we live differently and wonder if that gift was really given.
One solution I have is to keep giving your life to God. I do not think giving your life to God is a one time decision. The first time may be a significant change in someone's life, but we do not become perfect Christians after that one moment. Daily (if not more often) we need to consciously decide to give ourselves to God again. I do this through prayer each morning because too many days I want to do my own thing.
The other piece of this question is a theological point of the Wesleyan tradition. John Wesley believed in assurance. Assurance says that we can know that we have given our lives to God and will be with God for eternity. Wesley says that through scripture God will speak with a still small voice to let us know we are His children. God's voice will assure us that our love relationship with God is true. This happens as we read our Bible and study God's Word.
So be assured, that if you have given your life to God a long time ago or today you are a child of God. Continue to give your life to Him and you will be a winner in the game of life.
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I love this! I will incorporate it into my prayers. For me and many busy moms it's finding the time to pray. I just read in Parent's magazine (I'm behind so it wasn't this month)that one lady writes on her shower walls with shower crayons. I LOVE that idea but I would write Dear God... (instead of a To Do List) just to remind myself that this was His and my time ALONE, no kids to take care of or husband asking where things belong (GRRR, he should already know anyway!). Sometimes we just need a little note that says, Hey God, it's me again to get us going!
Jamie
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