Benefits and sacrifice of saying yes *edit*

Before I get deep into this I wanted to just report that I did a nice lil walk/jog(trot) this morning for an hour. WOOT! I used to run 3.5 miles daily so this is a really good start to getting back into running. It was heck on my lower back and I can now feel it in my knees but man I really broke a good sweat (haven’t done that in a while,  I wonder if it’s the water too) and the fact that I was jogging(trotting) hills is fantabulous!

OKay and here is the meaning f the title entry. I received this from a friend and sent it out to others. i really feel this to the core so if you have the patience to read through it please do. I know it will benefit others:

How many of you are willing to say yes to the Lord? I know for the mass
majority, you are saying yes right now, correct? Remember, when you are
telling the Lord yes, you are saying, "Lord whatever you want me to do, I
will do it." But some of us, don’t realize, when we will tell God yes, in
essence what we are saying, "I am going to do it immediately." Even if it
means, I have to give up some of my dearest friends. When we tell God yes,
it may result in giving up some of our weekend activities. When we tell God
yes, it may cost us something that we weren’t willing to sever ties with.
Whether it is a relationship, your yes may symbolize to walk away. Whether
it is a job, your yes may mean to put your resume on careerbuliders.com.
Whether it is a relocation of a job or church home, your yes may represent
breaking the news to those you figured you were going to spin the rest of
your life with. So in other words, in your telling God yes, is simply
saying to God, "Not my will, but yours be done." Now ask yourself, "Am I
ready to say yes?"

Let me say this to those of you who are having a hard time severing ties
with either a friendship or a relationship that is going nowhere-IF THAT
RELATIONSHIP IS NOT CAUSING GROWTH, BUT IS CONSTANTLY CAUSING HEARTACHES &
HEADACHES-TELL GOD YES! Often our struggle as Christians is not in deciding
whether we should obey the voice of the Lord but in obeying right away. For
those of you who really want to do what is right, we may acknowledge our
need to pursue Christ & alter our daily life & do what He has commissioned
us to do. However, when Jesus really reveals His will & purpose to us that
is the time to obey. Obedience is not contingent on whether or not the
person or people you need to let go, feelings are going to be hurt or not.
Extreme obedience is obeying, even if it hurts you, your way of living &
your dearest friends. Sometimes extreme obedience may even hurt your
relationship with your family & friends. Watch this now……Whenever God
is taking you to another level, 9 times out of 10 it’s going to cause some
adjustments. I personally don’t believe, if God is calling you to another
dimension, you are going to remain friends with those you hung out with
when you didn’t tell God yes. Why? Because in the word of God, it tells us,
"How can two walk together except they agree (Amos 3:3). I know I lost
about 10 of you right there. But look at it. What do you all have in
common? What are your conversations like? You want to talk about the things
of God & they want to talk about the issues with their child’s parent? You
want to talk about the prayer conference at your church & they want to tell
you about their experience at the nightclub last night? You want to talk
about the revelation God gave you & they want to about their experience
last night? DOES IT MAKE SENSE NOW? I am not saying, we can’t befriend
them, but we have to distance ourselves from them & allow God to take
them through the process.

Let me give you a personal testimony, when I wanted to marry my wife, all
of the activities we did prior to getting married were shut down. She told
me, if you want to marry me, we have to go through 1 year of strict
counseling, 1 year of celibacy & 1 year of having her home by 9:00pm. So at
that point, I had a choice I had to make. So I had to reevaluate a few
things. Do I get it right or do I move on? Do I want to put my flesh under
subjection or do I pursue someone who will give me the desires of my flesh?
It wasn’t that my wife didn’t want me, but she wanted to obey God, even if
she had to sacrifice the man of her dreams! Look what happened! Eight years
later, we are going strong! In extreme obedience, the first thing that is
going to challenge you is your flesh! Let me tell you something, your flesh
is NEVER saved. Your flesh is NEVER going to tell you to do what is right!

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t>Your flesh will NEVER tell you to get out of that relationship that is
damaging your spiritual walk with God. Your flesh will NEVER tell you seek
God concerning your ungodly friendship. As a matter of truth, your flesh
will reason with you! Saying, "You don’t have to give up that
friendship/relationship.? By me coming around them on a daily basis, they
are going to see a change in me.? Pause right there? If that friendship is
not talking about the things of God, pouring into each other spiritually,
it’s going to do one of two things- IT’S GOING TO DRAW YOU AWAY FROM THE
THINGS OF GOD & AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE
SPIRIT OF ICHABOD-(the glory of God has departed…1 Samuel 4:19-22)! What
are the signs of that spirit? Going to church, but not feeling anything.
Reading your bible, but not receiving true revelation. You may speak in
another language, but no power. You may lay hands on the sick, but no
recovery.

*********eta OOPS I forgot to paste this part the most crucial part lol******

 Believers, timing is everything. When God tells you to walk in extreme
obedience, it may result in limited opportunity to respond. Watch this
now…….Some opportunities will be contingent on your quick response.
Missing opportunities to serve God can be crucial. When the Lord speaks to
you concerning your destiny, what state of mind will you be in? Are you
willing to walk away from the long lasting relationship that you thought
was going to get better? Are you willing to let your friends/family go for
a season to allow God to do the work in them? Are you willing to put that
flesh under sabbatical to hear what God is saying in the spirit realm? Are
you willing to leave your comfort zone to experience the unknown? Are you
willing to cut the umbilical cord with non-spiritual family/friends?
Notice, I didn’t say church attendees/pretenders, but those that are
really seeking the face of God. Hear this, you can’t draw anyone to Christ,
they have to want it for themselves (Psalm 127:1). What are you willing to
do in order for their pathway to be clearer? Are you willing to stop
playing God & let God take them through the process? Are you willing to
walk in extreme obedience?

I don’t know what’s up with the font but this message really touched my heart and led me to understand some things clearer as well.

~He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.~

Proverbs 25:28

~I pray the desires of my heart flow with His Will.

Ronnie (OD member)