Surrender to God - Open Up Your Heart by W. V. Grant, Sr

8/2/2019 Surrender to God - Open Up Your Heart by W. V. Grant, Sr

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, J E S U S P A S S E D B YS IN F I N I S H E DW e W o u ld S e e J e s u sT H E C R O SS

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Box 353, Dallal. Toxal

CHAPTER I

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENTThe meeting was in a big way. All the people wereclapping their hands for joy, according to the command-

ment found in Psalms 47: 1. Everybody was clappingtheir hands except one man. This one man came toBrother Bayless and said, as he held out a stub, "I wishI could clap my hands, but I lost one of them in theKorean War. I am willing to do what I can for the Lord,so that's why I have been taking this song book andhitting my leg with it, while the people clap theirhands."Look at your hands. Are you glad that you havehands? Are you willing to use your hands for the Lord?The first commandment is to love the Lord thy Godwith all thy heart, all thy mind, and all thy soul andall thy strength.There is no use in your trying to keep the rest of the

commandments if you don't keep the first one (Mark12 :30). It is the greatest one of all the commandments.The greatest sin in the world is to break the greatestcommandmen t.GOD SOUGHT FOR A MAN

At one time He sought for a man and could not findone. He could not find a man who was willing to standin the gap and make up the hedge (Ezek. 22 : 30). An-other time, as God was seeking for a man to lead His1


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out of bondage, He found one. He only founde man down in the country of Midian, on the backde of the desert.God's people had cried unto Him because of the op-ession of Satan's man. God always hears the cries ofis people when they are in trouble.Moses was like many of us today who are willing toork for the Lord, but he thought he couldn't. He wasly a fugitive boy who had run away from the King,ho was seeking his life. He had no reputation, fame,,rtune or talent. He could not speak plainly (Exodus16). He had no eloquence of speech, (Exodus 4:10).et the Lord was seeking for a man not a rich man,t a great man or a man with fame, but a man whoould believe in the supernatural power of God.So God attracted Moses' attention with a miracle, aurning Bush' on the back side of the desert. That bushas not consumed. God usually attracts our attentionith a miracle. If you are afraid that you are about toconsumed by the toils of the day, get on fire with thepernatural. You can burn all day, but you will notrn up.The Lord told Moses His intentions. His secrets areith those that fear him (Psalms 25 : 14).Moses said he was willing to go if ... if God would goith him. He said he was willing to go, but he couldn't. That is a good quality. Everyone who is called ofe Lord to a real supernatural ministry feels their in-

If you think you can't, you probably can. If youink you can, most of the time you can't. If you thinku can't, then you can by God's power.I HELD BACK

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do. When the call came it seemed like a thousand worldsfell on top of me! I knew I couldn't go. Then the Lordshowed me His glory. He made me to know, as He didMoses, that it was by His Spirit. It is not by power-ormight (Zeph. 4 :6). I had to depend on miracles. I couldnot depend on my ability. Everyone who is called of Godknows he can't do it within himself. If he feels no re-sponsibility he is evidently not called.Moses knew there was not one thing he could do. Atone time he said, in effect, "Look who I am!" With hisown power he fled from Pharaoh at one time. How could

he lead two million people out of the bondage of thewicked king and with all his armies!About the time Moses saw his inability, God said,"What is that in your hand?" It was just a rod, just ashepherd's crook. It was used to herd sheep, not to fighta battle against a great nation. But wait! A rod? JustGod's power is enough. A rod with God's miracle couldcreate serpents, turn water into blood, and bring downjudgment on a wicked nation of unbelievers. It couldconvince the gainsayers of signs and wonders. Theycould set the oppressed people free. God and a rod cando great things, if He has a man that is willing if Hehas a man that is consecrated, who will never doubtHis miracles.You may be asking, "Who am I?" You may feel yoursmallness. That is the way God wants you to feel. Hecan't use you any other way. Anything is small com-pared to the Almighty. God and one is a majority.Whatever is in your hand, give it to God, with yourmind, soul, heart, strength behind it. Give Him your all.In other words, you may not have much, but give Himwhatever is in your hand. For He can only use a manor woman who yields their all into His hands, holdingback nothing. Give Him what is in your hands; yieldyourself under His command, to His service.

I always said if God called me to preach, I would go.said I would never stammer and hold back as others2 3


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The Bible did not say, "God can work and none cannder." But it does say, "God can work and who willt Him."

it near a diamond mine. She went to the owner of themine and told him that if he would let her put the dia-mond in the offering, to help save her loved ones, shewould return and be his slave forever. That is the kindof sacrifice we should give to our lovely Lord. He hasthe rest of our lives, He has our all.In olden times all the slaves were freed on the year

of jubilee, each 50th year (Lev. 25:54). A slave hadthe privilege of having his ear bored through with anawl, then go back and serve his master for life. Wehave become a bond servant because we have a goodmaster, and we willingly give Him the rest of our lives.We give Him our all.

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PRESENT YOUR BODYWe don't give ourselves partly to the Lord. He willve all of us or none of us. He said for us to presentr body to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).The story was told about a leak in the dike, whichld back the waters from Holland. A boy saw the leak.e knew that he could stop the hole with his hand. Ifleft for help, the hole would grow larger by thecond. Before he could secure help, the hole would belarge that all Holland would be flooded. The nationuld be destroyed. So the boy held his hand in thele all night. His body was found there the next morn-g. He had given his life for .his people. That is thend of sacrifice God requires. He gave all when He wasilling to give His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Weould measure our giving by God's standard.A soldier boy saw a bomb that was about to explode!e fell upon it, covering the bomb with his body. Heas blown into bits, but his comrades were saved. Thatthe kind of sacrifice we often see. That is the kindsacrifice that God demands; that we present ourdy to Him as a living sacrifice.We were told of a little girl in Africa who desired tot something in the offering to help save her lovedShe disappeared for two weeks. They thought thens ate her.She appeared in service one night and put a diamondthe offering. Her teacher told her that she had stolene diamond and must return it. After checking on herey found that she had searched for days and found

ALL THE OILEvery Bible scholar is familiar with the incident of

the widow's oil. Oil was all that she had. She only hada very little left. That was all she had in the house. Shewas deeply in debt and cried for help. She came toElisha, the man of God. Elisha didn't carry her somegroceries, or take up an offering for her; he didn't gofrom house to house, getting gifts for this poor widow.He didn't help her with his own strength. He didn'theap sympathy and kind words on her. No, he askedher for the oil. He found that the oil was all that shehad left in this world, and asked for it. He asked for allthe oil (II Kings 4:2).Elisha knew full well that when she surrendered her

all that God would begin blessing her. She surrenderedthe only thing that she had in the world. All that shewas, all that she had in her house. Elisha was a sur-rendered man, or he would never have had the grace tocall for the widow woman's only thing between herand starvation. He knew the word of God was true, thatGod's Word will not fail.When she gave her oil it began to multiply in the

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essel. The more she gave, the more God gave. All oter vessels were full, all of her debts were paid; shetill had oil. Everywhere she turned was oil, oil! Sheound that she could not outgive the Lord. There areome things that increase as you give them love,riendliness, kindness and anything you give for God.he anointing was taken from Elijah and put on Elisha,till Elijah had no less. Moses' anointing was put one seventy, yet Moses had no less. Jesus gave Hisnointing to the twelve, and then to the seventy. Head just as much.There is that that .scattereth and yet increaseth. Thenere is that that withholdeth more than is meet and itndeth to poverty (Prorevbs 11 :24).

THE LAST MILEYou may be in debt. You may be more than broke.ou may have to reach up to touch bottom, so to speak.ou may not see any way out in this lifetime. Yoursband and children may be gone. Your house may bepty. Starvation may stare you in the face.Start giving to God. I don't mean money only. I meanur everything. Dedicate to Him your heart, life,irit, soul and all of your ambition. If you fall on Hisrcy, He will take you, break you, and make you. Thedow gave to God's man. Her husband and childrenre gone. All of her money was gone. She was in debt.e did what God's servant told her to do. She not only

~d her needs supplied then, but later on when theadful drought came her way she was cared for. Younever outgive God. He will never be in debt to you.If we save our lives, we will lose them, if we lose oures for His sake we will find them (Matthew 10 :39).at is a spiritual law that works. If we give, we gain.render all to Him now. .

MEAL BARREL CONSECRATIONElijah's brook dried up. I guess he wondered why-"-- - ----_- - - _-- ,

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(IKings 17 :3). As he waited on God he was told to goto a certain widow woman's house, whom God had com-manded to feed him (I Kings 17 : 9). When he arrivedI guess it was quite a surprise to him .to learn t~at thiswoman and her son were on starvation. Imagine howone would look who had starvation facing her. Imaginehow she would look when a stranger, who was veryhungry, came around and asked her for the las~ hiteof food that she had. She was cooking that last bite offood for her hungry son.Too many people looked at this from the natural

standpoint only. God performed a I?iracle. He per-formed a material miracle. But the miracle He workedin the heart and life of that woman was very importantto God. If God is going to use you He must have yourall. You must be hundred percent surrendered.IfElijah was a man of like passions as you and I, thenwe know how his pride would tell him to never take thelast bite of food from this starving widow and her son.Her son was the dearest one in the world to her heartsince her husband had passed away. It took the grace ofGod for her to surrender the dearest thing in the world,the dearest thing in her life, to a stranger. God wasperforming a greater miracle than multiplying the meal.He was asking for her all. He performed a miracle inher heart and soul as she surrendered to the Lord.She knew God's voice. She had communion with Him.His sheep knew His voice. A stranger they will not

follow. God does not require us to follow a stranger.He doesn't want us to listen to just any voice. This wemay do, if we fail to commune with Him. If we are notfamiliar with His voice.There then and there that widow woman died outto God. She was willing to give her life, so she lived.She had scraped the barrel for herself and put Godfirst. That is why she survived during the famine. That

is why her meal barrel was never empt~: !hat is why7


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she was never without. She saw a perpetual miracle inthat meal barrel from then on.Being human, we know about what the boy was think-ing, as he told his mother to hurry and get dinner ready.We know how the little, frail, starving lady felt as shebroke the news to her son, whose stomach was almoststicking to his backbone. His tongue cleaving to theroof of his mouth. He wondered why his mother wouldbe so foolish as to give all, the last bite of food, whicheant his life, to a stranger. To a hairy looking manitting on a stump out beside the road.Perhaps the little woman could not understand iterself, but that inner voice that she had often heardaid, "There is the man that I have been talking to youbout." She obeyed. She was willing, she gave her all,d found herself.She gave the meal to God's man, but she gave herselfo God.

she surrendered everything.If you wonder who is a man of God, see if the wordsin his mouth come true (Deut. 18 :22). See if he candeliver your son from disease, and return life to him .Of course, God will demand your all. This week a ladycame to be healed of a hole in her heart, but she wouldnot surrender her cigarettes to the Lord, so I told herthe curse would not come without a cause, and she mustremove the cause before the curse left (Prov. 26 : 2).Last night a lady came to be set free from spirits.I put my finger on the very sin in her life that she was

not willing to surrender. God revealed to me that shehad been going to a spirit medium. Of course, she wasn'twilling to give up her sins, so she left undelivered.Now, if you want deliverance, you must be like thewidow woman surrender your all. Go to the man ofGod.Whatever you are holding back, that is what Godasks you to give up. You may give all of your money.You may reserve just one thing and still miss the bless-ing. Unless you surrender everything to God, then Godcannot do anything for you. God said, "I must be firstin your life." The Bible says, "In the beginning God"(Gen. 1:1).God is jealous of you. Your husband will be first in

your life. If you are a true wife, you will hold backnothing from your husband. God will be first or He willnot be in your life.

COMMUNE WITH GODWhen you have gone through a drought, or maybeou have become lean in your soul, or your soul is starv-g, begin to commune with God. He will direct you totrue servant that can say, "Thus saith the Lord!"ou will never be without."Maybe Elijah could not understand why the son diedter on. The poor woman blamed Elijah and said he waslling her sin to remembrance.Elijah said, "Give me your son." What? She thoughte had surrendered all, but this was something sheasn't expecting. This was a death blow to herself. Herly son now the man of God asked for her son (Iings 17:19). She gave the boy. She willingly gaver son.The son was restored to life. Not because of whoayed, but because God asked for her all, and because

NOT YOURS BUT YOUPaul makes it clear to the Corinthians that he wasseeking them and not what they possessed. (II Cor.12: 14). Of course, it is like my mother told me, I toldher certain things belonged to me. She said, "You aremine, so that makes this mine."The boy with five loaves and two small fishes did nothave much. That was all he had between him and star-

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tion. Jesus said that the people would faint in theilderness if they did not have something to eat, yetwas asked for all he had between him and deathatt. 14: 17).It was not the loaves and fishes that he surrenderedat counted, but it was his will, his heart, his life, hisl. That is why Jesus could perform a miracle.Suppose someone had taken the small fishes and breadforce, would a miracle have been performed ? No,

sus could have made food from the rocks as well, butwas the boy's obedience that counted. His faithused him to believe that he could give his life andt it back again. It worked! He went home happy be-use he fed the multitude. He was happy because hed found a new life. He lost his life and found it. Hest himself and found it again in the Lord.There is a hungry multitude of people. They areinting and thirsting. They are tired and weary. Youe asking, "What can I do for God?" You are askingdid the disciples, "What are these among so many?"e Lord is asking "What is in your hand?" Surrenderto him. The multitude will be fed and you will haveenty left and go home happy.Had the boy possessed a ton of fish, and a train loadbread, then two fishes and five loaves of bread wouldt have been sufficient. It takes all.

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has you, He has your money, your car, your home andyour heart.It is not the rich man's money that God is seeking,

it is the man. He takes the weak things of this worldto confound the mighty. He works by a miracle. Healone must get the glory. He will ask a poor man togive his money, then he will perform a miracle andsupernaturally supply his needs. As the starving boy,he will have more left when God gets through with himthan he had when he started.You want to give something to God? You start by

giving him yourself, your all. That is the only way Hewill accept you when you give the thing you prizemost.

HE WANTS YOU

JESUS SEESJesus saw the widow woman bring the two mites into

the temple and put them with the offerings. They wouldbe worth about a penny.Jesus stood and watched as the people gave in the

offering. He knew how much they gave, He alwayswatches. He always knows. He saw what they had left.He sees today. He sees what you give and what youhave left.He is looking for something other than the money.

He is watching our heart, mind, and spirit. He is watch-ing the gage on our soul. He sees if we give willinglyor grudgingly if we are a cheerful giver (II Cor. 9:7).He is really watching for a full surrender.Jesus saw in the woman a full surrender. He saw thatshe gave with a heart of love and compassion. He sawthat she gave all of her money, that she gave all of herheart, all of her will, all of her strength and all of herlife.

A woman said, "If God will give me a million dollars,would give half of it to the Lord." Well any sinnerould do that. If God gives you a million dollars youust give to Him all of it. He may allow you to useme of it for His glory if you consecrate it to Him, ormay not. He is the only one who can say that. You

ust be led by the Spirit, how to spend it for His glory.is not your money but you that He wants. When He

Jesus saw the large gifts that the rich men gave. Hesaw they had not given to Him their hearts, wills, soulsand strength. That is why He said that she gave more

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than them all (Mark 12:43).Jesus looks at what we have left, not only the money

we have left, but the heart that we have not surrend-red to Him.SURRENDER ALL

For the first three years, I preached without accept-ng a penny. I put hundreds of dollars into the work ofe Lord to build several churches. The first person whoave me an offering was a poor widow woman. Sherew a welfare check of about twenty-seven dollars aonth. She spent nine dollars of that for shoes; for shealked several miles to church over the hills and rocksost every night.I didn't want to accept the five dollars, but the Lordhowed me that she was making a full surrender. Iccepted it. Why? Because I knew that the Bible wasight. She would not lose anything by giving (Luke8). Like Elijah, I spoke the word of faith. The meal

arrel was never empty. She was never without. Sheill lives today, about ninety years old,walking severaliles to church, shouting the victory fully surrenderedGod.

DECEITFULNESS OF RICHESRiches are deceitful (Matthew 13:22). It is hard forrich man to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easierr a camel to pass through the eye of a needle (Mat-ew 19:24). These camels had to unload. Their mas-rs made them kneel down so they could pass throughnarrow place called 'The Needles Eye.' So we mustload! we must kneel; we must not deserve anything.e must be fully surrendered to the Lord.Some rich men I know of pay no tithes. They investeir money for the Lord, so they say. If they make aofit, they invest that profit for the Lord. When they

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die, they will still be investing for the Lord. Their un-godly loved ones will get their money and the Lord willnot get one cent. Yet they boast about how they areGod's men. They are like the rich young ruler. Richesare deceitful.I used to read the story of the rich young ruler and

I thought that God did not want His people to haveriches (Luke 18:18).He said he kept all the commandments, but he had

not even kept the first commandment, that said to lovethe Lord with all thy strength, and all thy soul and allthy heart.Jesus looked at him with compassion, as a surgeon

would look at a patient with cancer. A surgeon says"That cancer must first come out before you can live."Jesus knew that the riches were eating that man likea cancer, that they must come out.Jesus loved the young man and saw his trouble. It

was not the money, it was the love of money in hisheart that made him not willing to surrender all.Jesus put His finger on the sore spot. He always does.

He told the man to sell all that he had and to give itto the poor.He does not tell everyone to do that. Why? Why did

He tell the rich young ruler to do it? He was searchingfor a full surrender. He must be first. It wasn't themoney that He was after, it was the man that Jesuswas interested in.Had the rich man believed the Bible, He would have

known that He could have lost his life and found itagain in the Lord. Had this rich young ruler fully sur-rendered all; he would have gained much more than hegave. If you give, it shall be given (Luke 6:38). Everyman that gives up houses and lands for Jesus shallreceive one hundred fold in this life, not speaking of thethings of the world to come (Matthew 19 :29). All

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hristians make either thirty-fold, sixty-fold or a hun-red-fold (Matthew 13:8). So many fail to believe that.o many like the rich young man who went away sor-wfully. They may not have but a few dollars. Theyay not have a home or a farm but they will not sur-nder to the Lord because they reserve nothing.

rendered all to Him. When Abraham became willing tooffer Isaac, that was all the Lord was looking for. Hewas not seeking Isaac as much as He was seekingAbraham. He does not want yours, but He wants you.Abraham gave his only son. God gave His only be-

gotten Son.We should measure our giving by John 3:16."LOVE OF MONEYA wealthy real estate man told me that he was teach-g the men's Bible class in a certain church. The lessonwas to teach the next Sunday was about the love ofoney being the root of all evil. He said he believedat Paul was mistaken when he said that the love ofoney was the root of all evil (I Timothy 6:10). Pauloke by inspiration. He did not say money was theot of all evil. He said the love of money was.If you love money so much, you will do anything tot it. You will steal, lie, fight or rob. You would doything. That is why it is the root that produces evilpeople's lives. You can't love money and love therd. If you love anything that is in the world, the lovethe Father is not in you (I John 2 :15). The love ofworld is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye andpride of life. Jesus knew that the ruler could note money and give all his love to Him. That is whytold him to give up his money. He did not want theney, he wanted the man. And the man went awayrowfully. That is the condition everyone is in whoes money instead of Jesus.Had the man been willing to give half to Jesus, thatuld not have been enough. Jesus requires your all.touches the part that is not consecrated to Him.Many people are not asked to sell all that they havegive to the poor, because they have already sur-

dered their all. Jesus looks at their heart and knowst they are willing. In their heart they have sur-

ONE HUNDRED PER CENT

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The Lord demands first place. He wants you to sur-render everything. He wants full allegiance. The richman that lifted up his eyes in hell was not a bad per-son. He was probably a church member, or a deacon.No doubt he was a good businessman and a husband.The only thing wrong was that he put his businessahead of God. God did not have first place. Had he putGod first, and given his all to the Lord, he could havetaken his consecrated dollars and used them for God.No doubt God would have let him continue in his busi-ness and promote God's Kingdom. The story wouldhave been different. He would have taken his moneyand used it for God. He would have taken people withhim to heaven, instead of going to hell.Many people today fail to surrender their business

to the Lord. They reserve certain parts for themselves.What would you think if you went to a friend's

house and he only let you sit in the front room? Sup-pose he said that you could come and sit in his frontroom but you must not talk. What would God thinkif you came to Him but you would not let Him searchyour whole heart?The Lord will give us all He can trust us with. If we

surrender our finance to Him to be used in His service,He will give us more (Luke 6:38). He will give us powerto get wealth (Deut. 18 :8). He wants us to prosperand be in health (III John 2).

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CHAPTER II

that was so important to the Lord, it was his full sur-render to God. While he was saving others, he savedhimself. The rich man who went to hell could have donethe same. It was not his money God was after. Rev.Smith could have given all his money and still not sur-rendered everything to the Lord. God couldn't haveused him like He did when he presented a surrenderedvessel to Him.The Lord is not bankrupt. He owns the world. Heowns all the cattle of a thousand hills. He has chosento evangelize the world through surrendered hearts andyielded wills. When it is done by consecrated methods,instead of natural talents, then God alone will receivethe glory. We give Him our all, which includes ourmoney. That is the kind of money He uses to win souls.That is why He does not use many wealthy people, be-cause not many of them ever give their finance (I Cor.1 :26). The words, "not many," show He will use someof them if they will surrender their all to Him.

A M ILLIO N FO LDRev. R. Smith had never given over three dollars toissions in his life. As a deacon put the pledge enve-pes under his nose it made him a little unhappy.Finally he told the Lord he would give him five dollarsis time. The Lord told him to give fifty dollars, whichas two weeks salary at that time. He finally obeyede Lord. The next year he gave one hundred dollars.e next year he gave two hundred. He doubled hisving each year until now he has a nice church thate Lord gave him. He gave $325,000.00 this year to

People in America spend $175 million dollars eachar for dog food. All ch urches combined do not givearly that much to convert the heathen .We spent 100 billion dollars, plus ten thousand youngen in what they called "the little police action" inrea. One percent of that much spent on deliverancevivals in that country could have prevented that war.e percent of the money spent on the Marshall Planuld have evangelized the world and hastened the re-rn of our Lord.It takes over $5,000 to put a one color page of adver-ement of beer in the Life Magazine. It takes hundredsdrunks to pay for that one page. A small percent ofat invested in deliverance literature would preventople from being alcoholics.Speaking of Brother R. Smith, it was not his money

WHAT GOD REQUIRESWhat does the Lord require of me but to do right-eousness and walk humbly with my God? When youwalk humbly and love righteousness you will keep thecommandments. You will love Him with all of your

heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of yourstrength.The Lord required of the rich man his soul and itwas not ready to go. He had put other things first. Thatwas the only sin of which he was guilty, that we knowabout. The sin of putting God second in his life.That night God said "This night thy soul shall berequired of thee." The poor, rich man had put his

business before he did the Lord. These things he didnot surrender. He put God in the second place and waslost.Do you put your home or possessions first? Do you

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t your job between you and the Lord? Do you putur children or wife first? God may take away fromu anything that is not surrendered to Him. Anythingt stands between you and God, that keeps you fromrving God, it is possible that the Lord may take ityou.

Some people are so busy working on a second job,paying for a second car, or second home, that theyil to put God first. He must be first. He will not takeond place in your life.Will God give you possessions? Of course He will.t you must seek first the kingdom of heaven andis righteousness, and then all of these things will beded to you (Matt. 6:33).You must give yourself to Him, which includes allu have. Use all you have for his glory. He will pros-r your business if you yield your business to Him,r Him to use as He sees fit.Your business must not be first in your life. Remem-r Lot's wife. She put God second and her worldlyssessions first. She was interested in what she ownedore than she was in God's business.As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the com-g of the Son of Man. They bought, they sold, theyanted and they built (Luke 17:28). Lot was in Sodom,t he shouldn't have let Sodom in him. It is all rightplant, build, buy or sell, if we put God first. If we putything else first, we have not yielded to the Lord ourl. We are not loyal to our Maker. He is not our Masterwe are servants to other things, and yield our mem-rs to obey the things of the world.

- ---- -answered, "It is to give a tenth of your income toGod." She was wrong. It is the first tenth of your in-come. It is not what you have after you pay your gro-ceryman, or your water bill, light bill or gas bill, andall other bills. It is ten per cent of your income beforeyou pay anything else.A tithe is the first bushel in each ten. It is the first

~alf,chicken or hog in each ten. It is the first dollar in,each ten, the first tenth of each paycheck.Ananias and his wife held back part of the price

(Acts 5:1). They fell dead suddenly. If you pay onelollar when your paycheck is $20.00, be sure that you10 not call it tithes.The Lord usually prospers us 10 times as much as

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se give.It was in a meeting not long ago when we lacked

fifty dollars paying for the advertising expense of thatmeeting. Brother Hankins turned and asked a man onthe platform to loan him $50.00 to put in the offering.He finished paying for the advertising. Before he leftthe house that night a man came by and gave him$500.00, which was ten times as much as he put in theoffering.All of what you have belongs to God. Any time He

asks you if He can use it, you must respond. He is try-ing you to see if you mean what you say.A man said a few days ago, "I pay tithes, but Goddoes not prosper me." He put the blame all on God in-stead of himself. He made God out a liar. That showedhe did not believe the Bible.After checking, I found that he had not yielded the

other nine-tenths of his income to God. In fact, he hadnot yielded his heart to the Lord. He had held back inchurch, resisted, and resented the movings of the Spirit.That is enough within itself to receive unto himselfdamnation (Rom. 13:2).That showed he was stiff'neeked ani! uncircumsizrl

FIRST FRUITSSome people are in church on Sunday, but they aret in church any more till the next Sunday. Last Sun-y someone asked what it means to pay tithes. A lady

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heart (Acts 7 :31). God gives the Holy Ghost to thoseople who obey Him (Acts 5 :32). When you give therst fruits unto God's servants that should be only aken that you have yielded to Him your everything.

it to heaven if he can." When he was asked if he paidtithes, he said, "No, the thief on the cross never paidtithes and he made it to heaven. 1 can get by if he can.""Yes," replied the man, "He was a dying thief, butyou are a living thief."The spirit of the Lord left when Saul went into thepriests' office (ISam. 13: 12-13). Some people todaywonder why they don't have God's blessings. They havetaken the preacher's place.Do you want God to rebuke the devourers, to breakthe drought and send the rain? Then you must not holdback God's part (Mal. 3 :8-10).1 know of one farmer who reminded God of Hispromise when the army worms were taking his crop.The army worms fell off suddenly. They were about sixinches deep. God made fertilizer out of them. The otherfarms were totally destroyed. This farmer had beenpaying the first fruits to God.

BLESSING OR CURSE?The Lord sets before us a blessing or a curse. Weoose the one we want (Deut. 11 :26). He says we arersed if we rob Him of the tithes and offerings (Mal.). That has always been God's plan, before the lawd after the law (Gen. 14 :20) (Matt. 23 :23). He evend Abel to bring the first fruits to Him (Gen. 4 :4).e words 'even so' in the New Testament mean tithese brought over in our time (1 Cor. 9:14).The first city in each ten belonged to God. That ishy the people were instructed to not take the spoilJericho. That is why Achan was cursed. He tookod's part (Joshua 7 :24). He was burned with fire.Saul first lost out with God because he saved the kingive (1 Sam. 15 :20). He was defeated. He did not wine victory. That proved he had a rebellious heart (1m. 15:23).When men today let rebellion creep into their heart,ey dread to pay tithes. They become defeated andse the victory. They save the king alive. A tithe is aAchan gave glory to God and confessed he had takene cursed thing (Joshua 7:20). Some people won't evenorify God by confessing that they have robbed HimHis tenth.Some people want to barely get by. A man was askedhe had a home church. He said, "No, the thief on theoss went to heaven. He never had a home church."hen he was asked if he was ever baptized in water.e replied, "No, the thief on the cross was never bap-zed in water, and he made it to heaven. I can make

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LOVER OF SELFOne of the signs that we are in the last days is thatmen shall be lovers of themselves (II Tim. 3: 1-2). Theytake more time to fix their hair than they do to saytheir prayer. Some women take more time to dope theirface than they do to grow in grace.Some spend more time building their own house thanthey do building God's house. That is why they puttheir money in a bag with holes in it (Hag. 1 :6). TheLord blew on their wages and they vanished (Hag. 1:5).1 just left a town where the pastor told me that someof the people said they were not able to build a newchurch. They quit him in the middle of the buildingprogram. A few weeks later they borrowed money fromthe bank. They were building an extra room on theirhouse while 1 was there.Do you go to your job in the rain, and let the samekind of weather keep you away from church? Even aI

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ostman, working for Uncle Sam, goes as far out as hean go. If a bridge is washed out, he goes to that bridge,rns and goes back. We should be as faithful to theord's work as men are to Uncle Sam.I was told a boy phoned his girl friend and said,Honey, I love you. I would die for you. You come firstmy life, before anything in the world."She said, "I am glad that you feel that way about it."He said, "Honey, I love you more than anybody elsethe world. I would do anything for you. I will be

ver to see you Saturday night, if it doesn't rain."That is the way some people love the Lord. They havegood testimony, they tell God they love Him more

ean life, more than anything in the world, that theyill do anything for Him. They will be at the churchit doesn't rain, if the weather is good.

groceries. On his way to the grocery store he passed bya full gospel church. There he stopped for service. TheLord moved on him to give his last ten dollars in theoffering. When he gave that last ten, he gave his all-his will, his heart, his future.On returning home his wife asked him where the

groceries were. He told her he didn't have any groceries.He told her he didn't get the groceries. She said, "Well,where is the ten dollars?" He told her what he didwith the ten dollars.He went to another room, fell on his knees and

prayed. While in prayer the Lord showed him a brandnew concept in a farming implement, which he startedmanufacturing.The Lord will give us all He can trust us with. He

saw in this brother a man He could trust to help carrythe message to the ends of the earth. When you giveyour all, that is when God can begin to bless you.The spirit of giving is one of the spiritual gifts which

God has set in the church (Romans 12:8). If you havebeen seeking God for a gift, that is the one God maywant to give to you. It is a gift that keeps on giving.It is a gift that keeps men going with the other gifts.It will help carry the gifts of healing to foreign lands,win millions of souls to Christ, and help hasten the re-turn of our Lord.We must use everything to evangelize the world.-

the airplane, car, television, radio, printing press andeverything available. The world will not be evangelizedwith penny marches. That is why God may raise upmen who will trust Him, men who He can trust withmeans.

CHURCH SECONDI was told a friend of mine went fishing one Sundayorning. A storm came up as they were out on the lake.alter became frightened! The other man said, "Weould have gone to church this morning. Maybe that'shy this storm has come."Walter replied, "I couldn't have gone to church any-ay, even if I had stayed at home, because my wifesick."Most anything will keep some people from church.et they claim to keep the commandments. They havet even kept the first commandment.

A MILLION-FOLDI know a man who God has trusted with millions ofllars. He put one million dollars into one church or-nization one year. He has helped build hundreds ofurches. At one time he was down to his last ten dol-rs. His wife sent him to the grocery store after some

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DONE BY FAITHGod gets no glory out of unconsecrated men, giving

of their unconsecrated dollars, that they earn by theirnatural wisdom. God alone must have the glory. He

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nts your heart, your will, your all. He wants to per-a miracle through your life, and use you to give,men may go with the gospel. Just as God performediracle and filled up the Ark, just as He broughth three million people across the Red Sea by aacle, so He will by a miracle raise up dedicated menwomen with means; to hurry the gospel to thes of the earth, before He comes.rother Coe was a man who sold his home and hisseveral times in order to build for God.e shook hands with me one night and asked me toee with him that he would receive ten thousand dol-s cash in the offering for his children's home. He

cd a small crowd, compared to his other meetings,t he asked one hundred people to bring him onendred dollars each. Brother Gardner punched a fel-and said, "He will never get it." Brother Gardnerbeen in the same town with a tent several weeks,didn't make expenses.About that time God spoke to Brother Gardner toone of the hundred people to give one hundred dol-s. He punched a man and said, "Pray, pray." Thensaid again, "He'll never get it!" God spoketo Brotherrdner again and said, "You are going to give fivedred dollars because you didn't believe me." Hed the Lord he owed twenty-eight hundred dollarshis tent; the Lord told him to give his last fivendred dollars; so he did.As he went up there about one hundred and thirtyre people ran to the front with a hundred dollarsBrother Nunn was in that group. God was speakinghim at the same time to give one hundred dollars.had just gone to his car and asked his wife for adred dollars. She was to go to the hospital for hery to be born, which meant six hundred dollars ex-se. She looked in the bank book and found they were

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down to their last hundred and thirty-seven dollars.Brother Nunn wrote a check for the hundred andthirty-seven dollars, which was all of his bank account.GOOD MEASURE

A man asked Brother Gardner to eat a steak withhim after church. It was good that he did, because hedidn't have the money to buy the man a steak. As theywere sitting there eating, the man became nervous andbegan to turn sideways, like he was in a deep study.Then, suddenly he slipped Brother Gardner $500.00.the exact amount that Brother Gardner put in theoffering. By a miracle God helped Brother Gardner topay for his whole tent within a few days.Brother Nunn had just lost his tent in a storm. Godgave him one meeting the next week where the peoplebought him a brand new tent; he had plenty extra leftto pay for the hospital bill.This gave Brother Gardner and Brother Nunn bothgreat faith for finance. They raise thousands of dollarsa year to promote the gospel to the ends of the earth.People like Brother Nunn, Brother Coe and BrotherGardner are the kind of men God can use to help do thejob. Men who first give their hearts, their wills and

themselves to God.YIELDED MENThere are plenty of men with means, but they arenot fully surrendered to God. When the Lord wantedto win a battle, He found a country boy who could notdo anything. He had nothing in his hand but an oxgoad. He gave God what was in his hands. The Lordused that ox goad to win a battle over a nation.Behind that ox goad was a heart and a life yieldedto God. Behind that heart was faith, that is more power-ful than the bombs in the United States and Russiacombined. God is only looking for a person who will,

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DIVINE STRENGTHSome people picture Samson as a big-boned man

with large muscles. The Lord does not delight in thenatural strength of a man. It is not by power, or bymight, but by the spirit of the Lord. God takes the weakto confound the mighty.Samson was a common man, yielded, and dedicated

to God. When God left him, he had no power of hisown. The power he used was divine power. He used faithin God, which God had given him. He gave his all tothe Lord. God must have the glory. Man shall not havethe honor.What did Samson have in his hand. Nothing! He gave

his all to God and slew a lion with his bare hands.One time he had only a jawbone of a donkey. That is

as near nothing as you can have. He had faith. He gavehis heart and soul to God. He was willing to do whathe could. As he yielded that bone to God, he put awhole army to ftight. He took dominion over the enemyand judged the nation twenty years. He came to theend of his own strength and walked out in God'sstrength.I had only $15.00 in the world. My clothes were

threadbare. I owed a $14.00 board bill. God guided meto buy a service station. I gave my all, my heart, mylife. I bought the place for $10.00 down. A man creditedme for the down payment.About the time I got a start a woman came by want-

ing a donation on the new church building. I turnedmy cash drawer upside down and gave her all that wasin it. God blessed me; I soon had six businesses. I gavethem all to God. I sold out for enough to build fourchurches and a parsonage; I preached three years with-out accepting a penny offering. When God called meout of business my wife didn't want to go. She said, "I'llstay at home and make you a living, while you go and

Ield to Him whatever is in his hand. A yielded mand God will win any battle. He takes the weak andse things of this world to confound the mighty. Theisdom of this world is foolishness to God.Brother Underwood was at a meeting one night,here Brother Coe was taking an offering. He only haddollar and thirty-seven cents. He intended to ridee bus to the end of the bus-line, buy him a ham-rger, and a cold drink and then walk on home. Hed not eaten before church.God spoke to him and told him to put the $1.37 ine offering. He obeyed God. At the end of the servicelady shook hands with him and left $5.00 in his hand.e said to himself, "Glory to God! I will eat a steakd ride a taxi home."If anyone needs a steak, it is a Holy Ghost filledrvant of God. It is the beer guzzlers who should havemake out on hamburgers.At the end of the service Brother Krause came alongd said, "Brother Underwood, do you have a car 7" Ofurse he answered, "no." He had been riding thesses to his revivals and inhaling the cigar smoke. Theord had seen he had to breathe in that second-handedoke, that the other people had sucked down into theirBrother Krause said, "I thought so. God has beenaling with me to give you a car." With that, he gavem the keys to a brand new Chevrolet. Brother Under-ood did not even have to ride the taxi home, wheree people were cursing and smoking.Brother Underwood became my business managermy revivals. God actually gave him something betteran money or a car; he received a ministry. He re-ived faith for finance, and faith for the deliveranceothers. When he gave the $1.37, he gave his heart,ul, strength and his all. He lost his life and found itin in Jesus.

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-thing and give it to the Lord. Whether you sell it andbring it all at once to the Lord or not, it is just as muchHis, even if he lets you keep it and use it in His service.Heavenly Father, touch the heart of this dear readerand, by your grace, help him to surrender to you onehundred per cent. Help him to go through all his lifesinging this song:

I came to a conclusion. I said, "I'll give up my busi-ss, I'll give up my home, and if necessary, I'll givemy wife." When I came to that place, God knew thathad surrendered everything.We left Ft. Worth and started to Arkansas. As weere driving through Dallas we saw a man down thead waving for us to stop. I stopped the car. He saidod had told him to give us $10.00! God will take us,eak us and make us.

THE LORD KNOWS HOWI know of a contractor who was asked to bid on ause. It was an old house and he was in the houserecking business. This contractor is a Christian, fullthe Holy Spirit. He lets the Holy Spirit guide himd teach him. He knows that the Spirit will guide himall his business. As he started to enter the bid thepirit whispered to him and told him to bid four thou-nd dollars. He said, "Lord, they won't take that fore house. You know it is worth much more than this."Still the Lord told him to bid four thousand dollars.e obeyed the leading of the Spirit. He sold the housea day or two for twenty-five thousand dollars.Some say that just happened. It happens to the onesat live in God's will, and are led by the Holy Spirit.happened to this man of God because he had dedi-ated all he had into the hands of the Lord. He didot count anything he possessed his own, but he yieldedimself and all he had to the Lord."And the multitude of them that believed were ofne heart and of one soul: neither said any of them thatught of the things which he possessed was his own...either was there any among them that lacked"Acts 4).The Holy Spirit led the early church to bring every-

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lit THE

ltESNI, W . V . C r . n t

All that I have,All that I have,

All I shall ever be.Cannot repay,The Love debt I owe,

I surrender to thee.In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

. . ' i' tI.. ,

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Surrender to God - Open Up Your Heart by W. V. Grant, Sr

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Transcript of Surrender to God - Open Up Your Heart by W. V. Grant, Sr