"The Golden Scepter"

 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." (John 16:23 KJV)

  "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he has faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT)

 As to the point of my post yesterday, it might make better sense if I put forth some examples of what I have experienced in my own life, as well as I can explain things; if it is even possible to make sense of any of what I think I know. If you have ever asked God to use your life for His kingdom, then you know that there are certain things that will be required of you; things that will change your life.

 Maybe that is not your goal, to have your life changed; you just want to be able to serve God in your own way, without having too much of your life changed, because you actually like the way your life is going. So, we pray for God to use us, without taking the time to count the cost. Because there will be a cost! You will need to be poured out; and you will need to be changed into a vessel that God can use faithfully. 

 Have you ever prayed, 'Lord, whatever it takes, please use my life for your kingdom!' There are certain things that we hold back, or try to hold onto, hoping that they are not part of the whatever He might take! You know the drill: "He gives and takes away!" (Job 1:21) Which is basically saying: 'Everything belongs to God, no one can give Him anything, that He needs to pay them back!' (Job 41:11) 

 There you have it, the simple explanation, which turns out to be more complicated by the day! God has only the best plans for us; they just don't always look like our plans that we dream up in our heads! We see the way that we would like things to be, but He knows best what it is that will change us. We must be changed into a vessel that He creates new! Are you willing to allow Him to do so? 

 Truthfully, is it in your heart to say it out loud: 'LORD, whatever it takes, take my life and use it!' If so, then hold on and enjoy the ride... 

"So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard the good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."" (Hebrews 4:6-7 NLT)