Charles Stanley Daily Devotional (August 22, 2025) God’s Condition for His Full Blessing.
It’s your choice: Will you trust Christ enough to accept His will for your life?
Matthew 16:24-27 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, ``If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 ``For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 ``For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 ``For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
The Lord wants to give each of us an abundance of blessings. Today’s passage clarifies the one necessary condition for receiving His best: surrender. Every aspect of our being—body, soul, and spirit—is to be a living sacrifice.
In the Old Testament, sacrifice was commonplace. To atone for sin, a person could bring an animal to the altar. It was set apart for God’s purposes as a holy offering, and through its death, restitution was made.
When we give ourselves as a sacrifice, there is, thankfully, no need for our blood to be shed. Jesus died to atone for all of our sin. So, out of love and gratitude, every aspect of our life should be dedicated to Him.
What does a surrendered life entail? Most importantly, it involves commitment to Christ. God’s Spirit guides us, and His will is the goal. Yielding to Him means following His way in attitude, words, thoughts, and deeds—and doing so unapologetically, unwaveringly, and fearlessly.
Complete surrender is not an easy road; it means dying to your desires and selfishness. But remember that the Lord is willing and able to do more than we can ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20 - Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us).
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 46-48
