WEBVTT 00:04.199 --> 00:08.817 [SPEAKER_00]: on the third day of our series, and pursuing simple Christianity. 00:09.620 --> 00:14.057 [SPEAKER_00]: We're looking at what it means to live a life of sacrifice to God. 00:15.016 --> 00:21.966 [SPEAKER_00]: May we discover what it means for our hearts, minds, and will to be fully surrendered to Jesus. 00:22.947 --> 00:28.235 [SPEAKER_00]: And in return, may we find the abundant joy he has promised. 00:28.255 --> 00:36.526 [SPEAKER_00]: He is trustworthy and true, and we will find that the life God has planned for us when we surrender all to Him. 00:37.648 --> 00:40.011 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:02.047 --> 01:29.252 [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Luke 9 verse 23, Scripture says, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 01:33.653 --> 01:39.639 [SPEAKER_00]: Living for our own gain, add stress, pressure, and chaos to life. 01:40.620 --> 01:47.246 [SPEAKER_00]: Successfully robbing us of all the transcendent peace available through sacrificial living. 01:49.047 --> 01:53.752 [SPEAKER_00]: We were never created to be our own provider or sustainer. 01:55.273 --> 02:00.218 [SPEAKER_00]: We were never meant to develop our own source of joy and purpose. 02:01.497 --> 02:11.569 [SPEAKER_00]: The only place we will find lasting peace is in complete surrender to God's intention for us, a life of total sacrifice. 02:14.112 --> 02:16.255 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus was our perfect model. 02:17.496 --> 02:22.122 [SPEAKER_00]: He did everything according to the perfect and pleasing will of the Father. 02:23.333 --> 02:36.149 [SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus said in Luke 9, verses 23 through 25, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. 02:37.411 --> 02:40.535 [SPEAKER_00]: For whoever would save his life will lose it. 02:41.536 --> 02:45.882 [SPEAKER_00]: But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 02:47.212 --> 02:54.205 [SPEAKER_00]: For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 02:58.112 --> 03:05.025 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus makes it clear that sacrifice is the gateway to finding the life God intends for us. 03:06.508 --> 03:11.076 [SPEAKER_00]: It's the pathway that leads to the perfect will of our Heavenly Father. 03:13.418 --> 03:19.369 [SPEAKER_00]: If you're like me, living sacrificially initially sounds terrible and unattainable. 03:20.931 --> 03:26.882 [SPEAKER_00]: It feels impossible based on past experiences and present selfish desires. 03:28.645 --> 03:34.195 [SPEAKER_00]: But we need to take time to know the God to whom we are sacrificing our lives. 03:35.592 --> 03:46.808 [SPEAKER_00]: We need to renew our mind to the perfect love of Jesus, who would lay down His own life for us before ever asking us to follow in His footsteps. 03:49.091 --> 03:54.539 [SPEAKER_00]: The life God intends for you is better than anything you could discover on your own. 03:56.301 --> 04:03.051 [SPEAKER_00]: If He's asking you to live sacrificially, it must be holy and perfectly for your benefit. 04:05.073 --> 04:13.786 [SPEAKER_00]: We are not sacrificing our own wills, plans and dreams to a God who has less satisfying plans for our lives. 04:15.128 --> 04:22.259 [SPEAKER_00]: We are not surrendering a happier, better life for something less, boring or meaningless. 04:23.781 --> 04:30.912 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus said, in John 1010, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 04:33.085 --> 04:38.352 [SPEAKER_00]: God has plans greater than we could ever ask or imagine in store for us. 04:39.274 --> 04:46.904 [SPEAKER_00]: If we will lay down our dreams to make space for his, he has inexpressible joy for us. 04:47.485 --> 04:58.080 [SPEAKER_00]: If we will exchange what has made us temporarily happy, for his dreams and visions that are full of purpose, meaning, and adventure. 05:00.203 --> 05:09.676 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus willingly laid down his life and received everything he had dreamed of, restored relationship with you. 05:11.619 --> 05:15.464 [SPEAKER_00]: What's waiting for you on the other side of sacrifice today? 05:15.504 --> 05:22.313 [SPEAKER_00]: Find out, as you engage in the act of surrender during guided prayer. 05:46.289 --> 06:16.093 [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on Jesus command for you to live your life sacrificially, reflect on God's desire to lead you to abundant life through surrender and sacrifice. 06:31.565 --> 07:00.087 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video, and I'll see you in the next video. 07:00.522 --> 07:03.104 [SPEAKER_00]: What do you need to surrender to the Father? 07:04.586 --> 07:13.514 [SPEAKER_00]: What dream, idea, person, or possession, is robbing you of the abundant life God intends for you. 07:15.756 --> 07:20.120 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need to live sacrificially to experience more of Jesus? 07:22.242 --> 07:28.268 [SPEAKER_00]: Surrender, whatever stands in the way of you and the abundant life God has for you. 07:30.087 --> 07:37.467 [SPEAKER_00]: 1 John 2 verse 15 says, Do not love the world or the things in the world. 07:38.770 --> 07:43.523 [SPEAKER_00]: If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. 08:02.082 --> 08:29.153 [SPEAKER_00]: And last, choose to live sacrificially today. 08:30.702 --> 08:40.721 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Holy Spirit to make the will of the Father known to you as He did for Jesus and commit to following whatever He is asking you to do. 08:42.625 --> 08:51.883 [SPEAKER_00]: Philippians 2 verses 5 through 8 says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. 08:52.437 --> 09:18.090 [SPEAKER_00]: who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. 09:53.170 --> 10:10.129 [SPEAKER_00]: Taking up your cross isn't a weight designed to burden and constrain you, but an opportunity to live in the presence, peace, and purpose of God. 10:11.510 --> 10:14.433 [SPEAKER_00]: There is freedom and store for you through sacrifice. 10:15.554 --> 10:20.680 [SPEAKER_00]: There is purpose and joy in laying down your life for God and others. 10:22.060 --> 10:36.188 [SPEAKER_00]: If you will receive the perspective and courage to pursue God's will for your life, you will discover more peace, consistency, passion, and direction than you ever thought possible. 10:51.845 --> 10:54.731 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast. 10:55.172 --> 10:56.956 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with First 15. 10:56.976 --> 11:03.951 [SPEAKER_00]: I hope and pray that you will find greater peace and rest in the simplicity God has for you. 11:04.573 --> 11:09.904 [SPEAKER_00]: When you lift your eyes off of yourself and put them onto him and others. 11:10.812 --> 11:22.059 [SPEAKER_00]: Everything really does fall into alignment when we place God at the center of our lives and reorient our perspective around his power and love. 11:23.502 --> 11:28.534 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see him.