“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”  John 15:4 (NKJV)

The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) are actually quite simple and simply marvelous in their assurance of truth and life.  Sin leads to questioning leading to exploration leading to self reliance, leading to anxiety and despair that leads to seeking from a World enveloped in false happiness born of the lies of the enemy, leading to joy-less wandering, leading to the only source of hope, life, joy and purpose; Jesus Christ.  And we’re back!

Does God want us to walk with him in an emotionally mature and deepening faith?  Yes.  Does he expect that to be our starting point?  Of course not.  The Apostle Paul, arguably began as one of the greatest threats and tormentors of the early Way (Christianity), who was a scriptural theologian.  He was a Pharisee, so he knew scripture better than almost everyone.  The problem for Paul (Saul) is that he did not know Jesus.  And when he met him on that road toward Damascus, he discovered the freeing simplicity of relationship with Christ and was also prepared to defend his beliefs because of his lifelong training of the scriptural manuscripts of the day.  A lifetime of training now made perfect sense.

What’s my point?  Give yourself a break!  Surrender all that you have been heaping on yourself in measurement of achievement, value, “worldly success” (a sinful oxymoron), metrics created by a desperate and broken World, and trust in what the Gospels teach us and is revealed to us every day by our Father in Heaven who says “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

So on this Thanksgiving Day, begin the process of a life surrendered that leads to a life empowered.  

Every journey begins with a single step.  The truth is, surrender is the most freeing and empowering step that you can and will ever take.  Surrender to the One who created all that is or ever will be.  Surrender to the truth of the Gospels. That God loved you so much that he ‘gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will be saved;’ will be freed; will be ignited; will be assigned; will experience true joy; will find community with fellow Believers; will realize that happiness in material things is fleeting and leads to entrapment; will see the beauty in the laughter of a child; will find the incredible value of experience in the elderly person placed in front of them; will find deep, deep, everlasting purpose through the only God who loves you more than any formula can accurately measure.  The simplicity of the Gospels lays to rest the complexity of a broken life.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:29-30 (NKJV)

Happy Thanksgiving.  Today identify and consider the endless things you have to be thankful for.  It starts with life freeing surrender, delivered by Grace and Mercy.