Today’s message is surrender! Surrender is part of salvation. Surrender For some people there seems to be confusion about what surrender means. Some people think of surrendering as a not just a bad thing, but a negative thing. Most people do not want to surrender…because they think it means submission…submission is about force or control. In wrestling there are submission holds designed to say to the other person…you are too strong for me, so I give up.

I have been praying and thinking about this message for some time. Let me tell you that at the heart of this message is you…or y’all! This message is about money. I make no apologies about talking to you about money and perhaps more importantly our attitudes and relationship toward it. We are taught many things about money and most of it is not very good. In the church, especially in the USA, the attitude toward money is not so good…at least generally speaking. Now, if you think I am going to tell you to give more, let me tell you that may or not be the outcome…it just depends on what you are giving now? However, this message is not about tithing, even though I will share a few things about tithing. This message is primarily about our relationship to money. The way we think about it, the way we use it, the way we feel about it, and how it dominates our thinking.

This morning, let me remind you that God has a vision, a plan, a preferred future for all humanity. It is God’s desire that none should perish… 2 Peter 3:9…9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. John 14:1-3…1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. These verses are for you and me,…for this community and the surrounding areas,…for this county,…for this state, for this country and for this world. God has vision for your life, for this church, for this community!