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bigmike

DAILY DEVOTION
Turn Over the Reins
by Pastor Adrian Rogers
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
JAMES 4:7
PONDER THIS
One time, I was driving down the road and I saw a drunk person staggering along in disgrace. I recognized him and stopped the car. He got in and I drove him home. His dad and mother were there, and they took him in and got him to bed. I started to leave, but the dad stopped me. He said, “Pastor, I'm embarrassed, but my son is not the only drunk in the family. I'm a drunk too. I don't know what to say to this boy when I’m a hypocrite.” I asked, “Why don't you quit drinking?” He said, “Pastor, you probably won't believe this, but I hate liquor. I just can't stop.”
I said, “Imagine you were driving a team of wild horses that were getting away from you and you were afraid for your life, but you couldn't make them stop. But sitting next to you in the wagon was someone you knew could control them. What would you do?” He said, “Pastor, that's easy. I'd just turn the reins over to him.” And I said, “That's the only thing I know for you to do. Just say, ‘Lord Jesus, I can't.’ Quit trying and start trusting. Simply turn the reins over to Him because those horses are wild and there is only One who can contain them. He does not want to let them run wild, He does not want to cripple them, but he wants to cultivate that strength under control for His purposes.
• When in your life have things felt out of control? How did you try to fix the situation? How might you have turned “the reins” over to Christ?
• Why do we try to fix problems ourselves before giving them to Christ? What is wrong with that? What happens when we try to fix life on our own?
PRACTICE THIS
Talk to someone about where you need to hand over the reins of your life to God. Ask your friend to pray for you as you surrender to Christ.
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