The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: I SURRENDER ALL (to God) (don’t write about the song) (05/07/15)
A well known 19th century preacher once described how best to get a man to to surrender his comfortable warm coat. It would not be a frigid blast of cold arctic air directed at the man, but a hot summer sun that would be most successful. Frigid air would only tighten the man's grip on his warm coat and make him more resistant to giving up his coat. Thus, convicting truth, minus the tender warmth of redemptive love might have the same affect of making a man more resistant to surrendering his "coat" of self-righteousness.

There is another perspective however. Some Christians suspect there are certain personality types that need a cold hard blast of biblical truth aimed at them. They need their resistance exposed before they can admit they are sinners in need of anything from God. They don't respond to the 'God is love' campfire approach. They think belief in God is for the weak - and they will not admit to being weak or needy. These personalities may indeed need a preliminary blast of truth before they can begin to be convinced of the saving power of the gospel.

Only the Holy Spirit can make us wise to know how to make Christ known. He uses each of us in different ways. Instead of being critical of one another's approach, let us surrender our witness and our words to Christ and ask Him to lead us. This is God's work. Only God makes people want to surrender their self-righteous cloaks and put on the righteousness of Christ.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 964 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Allison Egley 
05/19/15
Yes, different people will definitely require different methods.

I would have tried to expand on this a little more, and make it more about surrender itself, rather than about convincing others to surrender. Maybe delve into what happens when we surrender to God. Also, this feels like a devotional, and it would probably be best to include a verse or two to back up what you're saying.

Over all, this is a good reminder that we can all be used in different ways.
Toni Babcock 
05/20/15
Yes, I should have included bible verses. Stephen's sermon comes to mind when he told his tormentors "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye, (Acts 7:51 KJV), or when Paul spoke about the wrath of God against sin in Romans chapters 1 and 2. Jesus also reserved his most scathing rebukes for the religious who were unwilling to lay down their pride and believe on Him. I on the other hand, naturally avoid the confrontational approach, and always gravitate toward the more loving approach. But I am learning surrendering my will to what God wills in terms of our witness is a test of my obedience to God. In other words - if I can't be the vessel God chooses to use - I can at least stay out of the way of the one who is the right vessel for God to use, and not be critical. This was the point I was trying to make.
Iris Brooks
08/15/16
A good article with words to ponder on. Sometimes we try to shove Christ's love on someone. As you say, we can live our lives in a way that reflects Christ love and tell people about Him in a non judgemental way.. We indeed are all but sinners saved by grace. But the only one who can truly put us under conviction and let us see how much we need Jesus is the Holy Spirit. A good read.