A seed is only a seed until it is sown in the ground. Only its death can release its full and intended potential. We too must die to ourselves if we are to discover the life of God in us.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Jesus

Jesus became His own best illustration of what can happen when we lay down our lives in love and service for others. Consider for a moment the powerful impact of His influence still expanding in the hearts of men throughout the world. Who, looking at a single grain of wheat, would envision acre upon acre of amber waves? Every time we pray, “Not my will but your will be done,” we too sow a powerful seed whose fruit is hard to imagine, especially when praying it. Conversations Within” ts 3/25/2015

A seed is only a seed until it is sown in the ground. Only its death can release its full and intended potential. We too must die to ourselves if we are to discover the life of God in us.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Jesus

Jesus became His own best illustration of what can happen when we lay down our lives in love and service for others. Consider for a moment the powerful impact of His influence still expanding in the hearts of men throughout the world. Who, looking at a single grain of wheat, would envision acre upon acre of amber waves? Every time we pray, “Not my will but your will be done,” we too sow a powerful seed whose fruit is hard to imagine, especially when praying it. Conversations Within” ts 3/25/2015

“I feel myself surrender each time I see your face. I am staggered by your beauty, Your unassuming grace.” “My Confession” Josh Groban

“I no longer live, Christ lives in me.” Gal.2

All my selfish arguments, and all my petty excuses are silenced when I stand at the foot of the cross and see the face of love in the face of Christ. In such moments the old hymn, “I Surrender All,” plays its melody in my heart and I find myself whispering, “All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all,” coupled with a sincere desire to honestly mean it.   Conversations Within” ts 3/24/2015

“I feel myself surrender each time I see your face. I am staggered by your beauty, Your unassuming grace.” “My Confession” Josh Groban

“I no longer live, Christ lives in me.” Gal.2

All my selfish arguments, and all my petty excuses are silenced when I stand at the foot of the cross and see the face of love in the face of Christ. In such moments the old hymn, “I Surrender All,” plays its melody in my heart and I find myself whispering, “All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all,” coupled with a sincere desire to honestly mean it.   Conversations Within” ts 3/24/2015

“Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.” C. S. Lewis

“If you lose your life for my sake you will find it.” Jesus

We ordinarily think of life before death, but Jesus challenges us to think in terms of death before life. A part of His core teaching is that we must all die to selfishness before we can know life as God intends. We must also die in a number of ways to this life before we can experience all that the next has to offer. This is just another way of telling us to give our lives to things which can follow us beyond the grave and not waste time on temporal trinkets that eventually pass away.