The Vineyard
Dear Friends,
I am learning more and more of the need to be able to say “no”. I once heard a very successful businessman remark that he had made more money saying “no” than saying “yes”. As my family has grown, I can see, for certain, that saying “yes” brings instant smiles, but saying “no”, more often, brings stability to a firmer foundation to my family.
Even when it comes to shopping or going to Sam’s or Lowes Hardware, the more I say “no”, the more I save and the less regrets I have! Even in Christian fellowships and Christian camps, “no” seems to bring about more blessings than saying “yes” all the time.
The early church offered moral codes for the members that was clear-cut and easy to grasp and they practiced disciple on those that would not accept “no”—and they grew. It seems today that more of our denominations and Christian foundations find it expedient to say “yes”—and it’s far more politically correct. But I wonder, more and more, if it is honoring to God. God’s commandments includes eight “no’s” and two “honors” (the sabbath and your parents).
Now why all of this talk about “no’s” in this little devotion?
We are all bound by our fractured and broken nature to refuse to comply and obey unless given good reasons as to why we are told “no”. We don’t like being denied what we want to do when we want to do it. It is in our fallen DNA! “No” stands in the way of us being our own God. So what to do?
The answer is not simply fight the “no’s”, but to say “yes” to Jesus Christ and His Lordship in our lives. I can no more resist the things I really want to do than I can stop the sun for rising—-I can try, but I will fail. Only Christ within me can cleanse me from the perverse desire to say “yes” to every compulsion, hidden passion, and resistance to being submitted to God.
Warmly,
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)
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