Give Up!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God brought HIMSELF TO ME so He could bring ME TO HIMSELF.

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus became LIKE ME so I could become LIKE HIM.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus GAVE UP everything so I could GAIN everything.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So what should be my response? - GIVE UP!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Salvation is FREE but it will COST ME everything.

“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Giving up is not all about what I have to LOSE but is all about what I stand to GAIN. 

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Give up sadness to take up joy. 
Give up hopelessness to take up hope. 
Give up despair to take up praise. 
Give up heartache to take up comfort. 
Give up captivity to take up freedom. 
Give up your labels to take up your identity. 
Give up your dreams to take up your destiny. 
Give up our fears to take up faith. 
Give up your weaknesses to take up His strength. 
Give up your worries to take up His peace. 
Give up your problems to take up your purpose. 
Give up the lies to take up the Truth. 
Give up death to take up life.