After reading my devotional message this morningregarding our answering the call of God, I began to think about how easy it would be to ignore that call. How easy it would be to stand idle or sit in the back of the class and never raise my hand.
After reading my devotional message this morningregarding our answering the call of God, I began to think about how easy it would be to ignore that call. How easy it would be to stand idle or sit in the back of the class and never raise my hand.
Yesterday we thought about being alone with God in times of correction, but today let’s contemplate those times when we find ourselves alone with Jesus out of love, familiarity, and to receive such things as His instruction, direction, or blessing... what do we say or ask of Jesus when we are alone with Him? Well, we can ask anything but especially the hard questions, or those that bare the uncertainties or insecurities that we harbor in our souls.
This morning I read Oswald Chambers’ thoughts regarding our conceit and inability to see ourselves as God sees us. I read about how God and Jesus see us and about the need for them to strip away that conceit we harbor and reveal our shortcomings to us by finally getting us alone.
I struggled with my devotional reading this morning. The bulk of it dealt with the fact that when we answer God's call in our lives then we, or other people around us, could suffer. Have you ever considered this? Perhaps you are new to the faith and are still of the belief that answering God’s call is all about us and is always an easy choice; that any suffering it involves is ours, and ours alone. This is a false assumption.
Why are we called, and for what reason do we deliver the gospel to the unsaved? As I contemplated my scripture and devotional reading this morning, I recalled Oswald Chambers speaking on this subject with these words:
"The first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words "that they may receive remission of sins." When a man fails in personal Christian experience, it is nearly always because he has never received anything." - Oswald Chambers
My devotional reading this morning was about the intercession of Jesus as it pertains to our forgiveness for sin. It posed these two questions regarding how complete forgiveness is... are we only forgiven our conscious sin? What happens if we sin again? Well, Paul prayed a wonderful prayer that helps us understand the height and depth of our forgiveness of sin through Jesus. He used the words wholly and whole... Let’s read it.
Today’s topic deals with what is expected of us in regard to our lives. There are some who believe that the ultimate offering of our life is to sacrifice it in death or lay it down in service to God; but that isn't the case. That sacrifice has been made; Jesus was the one perfect offering for the redemption of sin. God loved us enough to do this for us… not for Himself, nor to lead us into death for any other reason. We have been saved once, and for all, by Christ alone.
This morning I read a devotional message written by Oswald Chambers regarding our knowing Jesus, and it dealt with how well, and when, the disciples came to know Him and it begged us to ask the question... do we really know Him? When I had completed my reading and was contemplating my own relationship with Jesus Christ and what I needed to do to know Him better, two words were given to me... imitation and emulation. They sound very similar, and out of ignorance we often use them interchangeably, but they are quite different in meaning.
My morning reading today led me to contemplate the way I worship and how I treat that worship in conjunction with waiting, and work. I was reminded that it is important, and true, that there is but one God and I am equally convinced that our faith should lead us to a singularity of worship and life as well.
This morning as I read my devotional it struck me that the life of Peter mirrors our own lives in many powerful ways. We are humble before Jesus, yet we boldly speak for Him, we often speak before listening, we have glimpses of strong faith that often fade as we sink while walking on water, and we wrestle with our sinfulness, but there is no similarity more blatantly obvious, nor spiritually disappointing, than when Peter denied Jesus… and when we recognize ourselves in him as he does so. Like Peter we answer the call of Jesus as infants and must mature in our belief and faith.
My devotional reading for today had to do with those times between callings and it blessed me by helping me to wait patiently for God's voice. What do we do during these quiet times of our faith, the times between callings and other spiritual experiences? Sailors of tall ships and other sailing vessels call these hours and days when the wind isn't blowing as being "becalmed." When they find themselves sitting motionless, they make busy about the ship preparing for the next leg of their voyage while they wait for a breeze and hopefully a steady wind to fill their sails once more. We should do the same in our spiritual voyages. This is a time to mend the sails in preparation for the coming breeze… not to take up oars ourselves.
Tears came to my eyes the first morning I read Oswald Chambers' devotional for this day and the Holy Spirit came over me. I felt as though I was experiencing in words what my spirit had been speaking to me for so many years.
Today I was contemplating Oswald Chambers' offering for this day, when suddenly I was overcome by the thought that each morning I get up and enter into prayer without really knowing where God will be taking me that day. My life of faith is more than a journey... it's an adventure.
My devotional reading this morning was titled "Let Us Keep To The Point", and builds on Oswald Chambers' personal challenge of giving "My Utmost for His Highest". It presses the argument that we should yield to God's will always, and in every instance... without question. The apostle Paul likewise instructs the Philippians on living in the will of God as we live our lives. He speaks to them of living a life with Jesus and aligning ourselves with God's perfect will... without fear of death.
It is almost sad to be completing our study of "The Power of Prayer" by E. M. Bounds this morning... But I realize that it isn't actually the end, and that tomorrow morning I will begin my daily offerings anew with many of our lessons on prayer guiding me.