Burning!

My heart's on fire, and I can't handle it anymore!

Gone are the days when I played it safe as a Christian.

Gone are the days when I would water down the TRUTH of God's Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ, because I didn't want to offend people, or because I wanted to build rapport with someone, or even because I wanted to preserve a relationship.

Gone are the days when I would compromise my deepest convictions because I thought it would make me a more relational, more relevant, or a more acceptable witness for the Truth.

And gone are the days when I shied away from presenting and proclaiming the TRUTH out of fear of persecution, of rejection, or because I cared what other people - even other Christians - thought of me.

What a lie. What an excuse. What a waste of time, and what a disservice to my King and to His lost, wandering and lonely sheep.

He's entrusted me with this message. He lives in me, and He wants me to live on-purpose...for His purpose! I've been so very, very selfish with this treasure.

But that's over now.

I can't. My spirit...and His Spirit...won't let me. If I try to hold this thing back, I'll only end up violating my own heart and searing my own conscience.

This life is not about me, and I'm tired of living it as though it were, even in the little things.

My life is not my own. I've been bought with a price. Purchased. I don't own me anymore. I don't get to do and say and think however I want to anymore. I belong to Him. My life isn't mine, and it's not for me. And so, I lay it down.

Christians like the first part of Revelation 12:11, that says, "And they overcame him (satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony," which is awesome and true. But no one seems to quote the rest of the sentence, which says, "and they did not love their lives to the death."

I count it all loss...I give my life to Him.

I'm dead. Dead to myself, but oh so ALIVE in Christ. It is no longer I who live, BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME.

If we're born again believers, we all have the same mandate: to go into all the world and preach the gospel; to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth.

Oh, that I would just be a good and faithful servant to my King....