Surrender
In gratitude for blessings without measure and with a trust firmly rooted in your promises; with a heart enlightened and showered with kindness, I surrender my life this day to you.
Prepare The Way For Abundant Joy
Scriptural readings for this second Sunday in Advent center around Isaiah 40:3;
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord[;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Mark’s Gospel (1:1-9) quotes Isaiah and introduces John the Baptist as the “voice.”
Several themes to reflect on include:
- Wilderness: the world outside and within ourselves is a type of wilderness, needing to be tamed.
- Preparation: the Lord is coming, the King of Kings.
- A Way for the Lord: the way is to be straight, like a highway.
- Desert: we are parched and thirsty for God.
Something important is about to occur. We need to be prepared, both to receive it and to share it.
“Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king.”
Why Start With Prayer?
The answer to this question lies in knowing where to finish. My finish line is a loving, faithful relationship with my God for eternity.
It starts with prayer and follows this path:
>Prayer leads to communication.
>Communication leads to connecting.
>Connecting is the basis of forming meaningful relationships.
>Relationships lead to trust.
>Trust leads to submission.
>Submission leads to transformation.
Prayer is the beginning of our transformation from a self-centered, world-dominated creature to a Christ-centered, spiritually guided soul, living in this world but focusing on eternity where unimaginable joy is to be found.
Thanksgiving Day 2024
My inbox is overflowing with articles about thanksgiving from the resources I view daily. One that stood out and captured my attention asked this question: “Could it be that no one receives the peace of God without giving thanks to God?” It went on, “Is thankfulness really but the deep, contented breath of peacefulness?”
And what of thankfulness? The book of Leviticus adds a special dimension to thankfulness in this way:
“There were to be ten offerings of bread in every thank offering of the Israelites. The first were like crackers. The second like wafers. These were known for their thinness. This was the order of thanks. The thanks began for the thin things, the wafer things that almost weren’t, and the way the people of God gave thanks was first to give thanks for even the meager and unlikely.
“Then it came, thanks for the leavened bread.”
Ten offerings, beginning with the most meager then ascending to the most valued.
May our thanksgiving today and every day—from the smallest thought to the most exalted praise, and from the darkest moment to the brightest joy—bring us the peace of God.
(Source: Faith Gateway, article by Ann Voskamp)
The Purpose of Discernment
“When we discern that people are not going on spiritually and allow the discernment to turn to criticism, we block our way to God. God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.”
My Utmost for His Highest, Charles Spurgeon, November 23
It Is Because…
It is because I am weak and ordinary
That I cannot comprehend your majesty.
But,
It is because you are all-powerful and all-loving
That I am showed with gifts unlimited,
And made extraordinary.
The Glory of Being Unnoticeable
“If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.
“But to do even the most humbling tasks to the glory of God takes the Almighty God Incarnate working in us.
“We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life “hidden with Christ in God” in our everyday human conditions (Colossians 3:3).”
(From My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, November 16)
The Test of “If”
“If you love me keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Is there a corollary? “If you don’t love me, ignore my commandments?” And, perhaps, “If you don’t know I love you, how do I resolve this in my soul?”
Which camp are you in? It frightens me to think I would ignore Christ and His commands. At the same time, am I in that middle position which is probably the most unacceptable—to be neither hot nor cold?
What is my desire? This is the test.
- Do I seek life or death, blessing or curse?
- Can I find within myself the tiniest seed of faith?
- Do I ask for help for my unbelief?
- Am I prepared to surrender and be transformed?
This prayer may help: “Lord, forgive what I’ve been, amend what I am, and direct what I shall be in newness of life with Thee.”
What can you say to someone who is in great pain but refuses to seek God?
Try “I want to remind and assure you that God loves you and is patiently, graciously waiting for you to reach out to Him. Why toil and struggle alone? Allow His amazing power and energy can surge within you.”
See also https://www.ibelieve.com/devotionals/your-daily-prayer/a-prayer-to-overcome-spiritual-drought
The Challenge To Believe
Do you, like me, become discouraged when you can’t encourage friends to even consider Christ, especially when they are facing an impossible situation? Or don’t understand why your children don’t go to church? These are recurring frustrations that may imply some sort of inadequacy on our part—we failed, we lack faith, it’s our fault.
Oswald Chambers provides a different perspective.
“The challenge…does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of…(one’s) own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (My Utmost for His Highest, October 27)
Chambers is asking us if we trust Christ enough to let him do the healing, the problem-solving, and the work of redemption. He challenges us to believe in Him, not in ourselves. Recall what Christ said to Bartimaeus (Mark 10:52), “Your faith has made you well.”
So, I will not stop encouraging friends to consider Christ or stop praying for my children (and their children) to seek a path to faith. Rather, I will look to my faith and not to my inadequacies and believe in the power of Christ to do all things.
Great And Mysterious Things
Would you like to know great and mysterious things? Hidden, incomprehensible, and marvelous secrets that are unknown, inaccessible, and beyond our reach?
I would love to know such things. There is only one source and Jeremiah 33:3 directs us to it:
“Call on me and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things you did not know.” (Evangelical Heritage Version)
What are these things?
The “great and mysterious things” refer to divine insights and plans that God has for Israel’s future, which were beyond human understanding at the time.
In the context of Jeremiah 33, Israel was facing exile and despair, and the “mysterious things” encompass God’s promises of restoration and redemption. Specifically, God was revealing that He would eventually restore Jerusalem and bring healing, justice, and peace to His people. This passage also hints at the coming of a “righteous branch,” which is often interpreted as a prophecy of the Messiah.
In a broader spiritual sense, the “great and mysterious things” suggest that God has profound plans, purposes, and wisdom that are not immediately obvious to humans but can be revealed through prayer and faith. This verse invites believers to trust that God’s knowledge is vast and sometimes hidden, yet accessible through a personal relationship with Him.
How do I get these things?
The answer is simple: call upon God. Seek Him, desire Him, submit to Him. God’s promise is absolute: He will answer.
Life is filled with the unknown and the incomprehensible (“how could this happen?”). These lead to worry, fear and discouragement. Call to Him and wait for His answer.
Spiritual 180
Daily life presents us with two certainties: we will be challenged by many uncomfortable and sometimes impossible situations but we have a God to pivot us toward Him and His mercy, grace, and blessings. With this in mind, here are 10 common challenges and the prayers we can make.
Wrong to right
Bad to good
Evil to holy
Dark to light
Worry to peace
Fear to confidence
Sadness to joy
Uncertainty to belief
Pain to wisdom
Stained to clean
Be Made New
There is only one ultimate source of power and strength for meaningful and permanent change and that is Christ. What do we want changed that really matters? How do we want to be made new?
No doubt there are many things we want to be made new, but how? Paul understands how this changes happens:
“For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 Phillips Translation
Oswald Chambers then guides us to areas of change that are most important.
“How are we going to get the life that has no lust, no self–interest, no sensitiveness to pokes, the love that is not provoked, that thinketh no evil, that is always kind? The only way is by allowing not a bit of the old life to be left, but only simple perfect trust in God, such trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want Himself.”
(My Utmost for His Highest, October 23)
Finally, Chambers offers the test of the trust that leads us to newness of life; he asks if we can continue to trust in God when He withdraws His blessings.
Can we continue to trust and be made new? We can, with Christ in us.
Let God Do His Work
“If you are in debate as to whether God can deliver from sin, either let Him do it, or tell Him He cannot.”
My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers, October 22
“We cannot break the commandments of God, we can only break ourselves against them.”
G.K Chesterton
The Power Of Invitation
There is power in the act of inviting. It is neither a command nor a passive suggestion. A sincere invitation reflects respect, a desire to share, and a path to something good and right. This is why Christ’s invitations are so meaningful; they invite us into His life. Here are five.
1. “Come to me”
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is an open invitation for us to come to Him with our struggles and find peace and rest in His presence.
2. “Follow me”
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus invites us, saying, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” He calls us to follow in His footsteps, living a life of discipleship and selflessness.
3. “Abide in me”
In John 15:4, Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you.” He invites us to remain connected to Him, drawing strength and life from His love, just as a branch is connected to the vine.
4. “Take and eat”
During the Last Supper, Jesus invites His disciples to share in His life, saying in Matthew 26:26, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Through this, He invites us to partake in the Eucharist and remember His sacrifice.
5. “Ask, and it will be given to you”
In Matthew 7:7, Jesus invites us to seek Him through prayer: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” He encourages us to actively ask for His presence and guidance in our lives.
Use this power to invite Christ into your life: where you have been if there is pain to overcome, where you are now when there are decisions to make, and where you wish to be in the future.
Mountaintop Experiences
We have mountaintop experiences for the purpose of lifting up others to their personal mountaintops.
“After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.”
Mark 9:2
Do You Cringe When You Hear The Beatitudes?
Do You Give Up When You Read The Commandments?
If these are your responses to the seemingly impossible burden these two statements appear to impose then you may be misinterpreting their meaning.
Are you “unblessed” because you are not merciful, not pure in heart, nor any of the other expressions that compose the Beatitudes?
Do you feel that you cannot live up to the expectations of the Ten Commandments, with all their “thou shalt” and “shalt nots,” beginning with loving God with every essence of yourself?
How does this make you feel? Powerless, trapped, doomed? Then read My Upmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers for October 6 and change your thinking.
Chambers makes two statements that change everything. The first is: “I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair.” In other words, we are what we are by heredity—flawed humans by birth, not by election.
The second statement is what frees us and gives us hope; “Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us.” In other words, we can attain the impossible standards of His Holiness when we accept Him into our lives.
Chambers makes a third statement that serves as the “lamp unto our feet;” The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God…”
We become regenerated (brought into a new life) when we accept our need for God in the face of God’s holiness. We are not seen as we are but as Christ is because Christ now lives within us.
What Does Grace Look Like?
It is easy to define grace (God’s unmerited love) but what does it look like? It looks like the Apostle Paul who, first committed to eradicating Christ’s followers, became His most ardent voice and was able to proclaim, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” in Philippians 3:8
What Do You Quest For?
Man’s Quest for God is a spiritual classic written by Abraham Joshua Heschel (19007-19720), one of the outstanding philosophers and theologians of our time.
“Quest” jumps out to me as something greater than a trip, journey, or even mission, though it may involve all of these elements. It is associated with something difficult and of special value. For example, there was the quest for the Holy Grail, for El Dorado, and The Fountain of Youth.
In his book, Heschel focuses deeply on prayer. He writes, “Prayer is our attachment to the upmost…In prayer we shift the center of living from self-consciousness to self-surrender.”
Ask yourself “what do you quest for?” Is it for God or something else? And what role does prayer play?
Do You Discover God In Creation?
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20
Creation displays God’s beauty, diversity, complexity, power, and order. Do we see and understand?
Be Healed In The Presence Of Christ
“Bring the boy to me.”
Luke 9:19
The father of a boy suffering from seizures (likely epilepsy) asks Jesus to heal his son after the disciples were unable to do so. The boy is brought to Jesus and the boy is healed. We know from other Gospel accounts that Jesus can heal at a distant. We are led to believe that it was the lack of prayer that the disciples could not heal the boy.
What does this story tell us? It tells us to come to Jesus to be healed. Physical presence is not necessary and the connection to Christ’s healing power is through prayer with faith.
Pray to be brought into Christ’s healing powers.
What Do Your Blessings Look Lke?
Are your blessings mostly things that make life more comfortable for yourself or others? For example, are they for health and material well being? What of blessings like spiritual growth, increased trust in God, and using our resources to help others? Have we missed seeing all the blessings we are given?
Be A Defender Of The Faith
We have so much to contend with in this life. Daily living may be filled with pain, disappointment, and grief in many insidious ways. The world around us seems to be imploding, consuming itself. Creation itself is becoming less beautiful and more hostile as we grapple with pollution, exploitation, and a disregard for life in all forms.
Yes, we fight many battles on many fronts. Is there a common enemy?
The common enemy assumes many forms. It is a false teacher who seeks to distract us from the Word of God. It is a spy in our midst that infiltrates our organizations and minds with false doctrine. It is a devouring beast that waits in ambush to kill our faith in a moment of weakness.
The enemy is powerful, persistent, and determined. For this reason we must be stronger, more tenacious, and possess a will to defend ourselves that is beyond our natural capacity.
In a word, we must be defenders of our faith, finding strength in a loving God, a redeeming Christ, and an empowering Spirit.
Jude 1:3
Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
The Message
Look Beyond The Eclipse
Satan desires to hide God’s light like an eclipse hides the light of the sun. Be assured and confident, the light of God never fails to shine. In moments when the throes of life and the schemes of Satan conspire to darken our relationship with God, remember that the Light was before and we will see it again.
There Is No Inheritance Tax In Heaven
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you…”
1 Peter 1:4-5
Common Sense, Faith, and Trust
“Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your commonsense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him?”
My Upmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers, August 29 Devotional
Shining The Light On God’s Glory
“…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Mathew 5:16
There are two roles, not one, mentioned in this verse. The first is “to shine” and the second is “to see and glorify.”
There are also two ways to identify with this verse. We most often identify with the role of being the one who lets our life shine because this is implied in the word “let.” Less often is the role of responding to the shining light, yet this is equally important.
It is critical to note that while both roles are connected, they are independent. For example, I am not responsible for your seeing, and, with eyes constantly seeking God’s light, I am not responsible for your shining.
Let us find the abundant life by both shining and seeing God’s glory.
For greater insight into Matthew 5:16, read Kelly Balarie’s piece A Prayer against Shying Back and Hiding Your Light.
Eucatastrophe and the Abundant Life
“J.R.R. Tolkien coined this word in the mid-1940s before writing his Lord of the Rings trilogy, adding “eu”—Greek for good—to catastrophe. This neologism appears in his essay On Fairy-Stories and in a letter to his son Christopher. In the essay, Tolkien defines eucatastrophe as ‘the joy of the happy ending: or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous ‘turn.’” (Source: Jeff Mince A Joy That Brings Tears: The Boons and Blessings of Eucatastrophe)
The Christian theme in the word eucatastrophe and in Tolkien’s personal story is unmistakable. “J. R. R. Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic from boyhood, and he described The Lord of the Rings in particular as a “fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision”. While he insisted it was not an allegory, it contains numerous themes from Christian theology.” (Source: Google search)
Renewal and resurrection are apparent. Here are just three examples.
- St. Paul demonstrated in his life that God can use suffering to create good.
- As Joseph confronts his brothers in Genesis 50, he says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive as they are today.” (Source: Jonathan Noyes in What We Can Learn About The Problem of Evil from Paul).
- Good Friday leads to Easter.
Be alert to the eucatastrophes in your life.
God’s Minute Clinic
It seems that healthcare is moving toward the drop-in clinic as a frontline provider. A major explanation for this trend is that primary care providers are often unavailable for immediate consultation and care, and enjoy weekends off as much as we do.
Not so with God, who is both our primary spiritual care provider and available any time, any day. No appointment is necessary and we can be in and out within a minute. Advice is dispensed and prescriptions are filled immediately.
For immediate care, go to God in prayer. It’s healing power is amazing.
God Never Answers Back
“Be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy to blacken God’s character because God never answers back, He never vindicates Himself.”
From My Upmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, August 10
This is where we step in, to defend our faith.
Never Enthrone Common Sense
Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will.
Form My Upmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, August 9
Guilt And Pardon
How much easier life would seem to be if we could pardon our own offenses, vindicate our actions, strike the record of wrongdoing, and blot out all guilt.
For some, this is how the world works, but not how God’s world works. Yet, it is easier to be redeemed and much more effective if we simply confess our broken relationships, ask for forgiveness, plead Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and accept God’s gift of grace.
Where Does Strength Come From?
Where do you find strength? My inclination has always been to first look inward: do more, work harder, think smarter. This has worked but not always, and it fails in the really big challenges of a godly life. So the better question is where do you find over-whelming strength, strength that does not fail? There is only one source and 2 Timothy and 2 Peter show us where:
“God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
2 timothy 1:7
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3
Top 5 Things You Don’t Want To Hear—But Need To
Why might you not want to hear these words? Is it because they expose your vulnerability, require surrender, starkly uncover your lack of control, and require a change of heart that is threatening?
Why might you need to hear these words? Is it because what you thought works doesn’t work, that you never have enough, and don’t know how to fix what is broken?
You can’t earn your way to heaven: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)
God knows your thoughts before you have them: Psalm 139 “Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them.”
No one is good (not even the best of us): Mark 10:18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.
Blessed are the poor in spirit—surrender your pride: Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
You have a hole that only God can fill: St. Augustine “For you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”
Consider these words. Pray over them. Feast on how they can nourish your soul.
What Does This Mean?
There are events in life that cannot be understood; we have neither the language, experience, nor imagination to fit them comfortably into our human existence.
The Apostles had such an experience on what we call The Day of Pentecost—the coming of the Holy Spirit.
“And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them.”
“Violent tempest blast. Tongues of fire.” What can we say about this?
All the Apostles could say was, “What can this mean?”
(Acts 2: 1-3, 12 from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
Indeed, what can we say when overshadowed by the power of God? When there are no words, when there is no meaning to comprehend, there remains worship. And that is all-sufficient.
Who Are You, Lord?
How will Christ come to you? Will you be physically, emotionally, financially (or otherwise) throw to the ground, overwhelmed, and completely at a loss to what to do, think, or say? (As was Saul on his way to Emmaus to persecute Christians Acts: 9:5.) Or will Christ come gently, almost imperceptibly, as in having your attention arrested by something or someone that challenges your sense of control and leads you into unknown areas?
However Christ may come to you, it is good to ask, “Who are You, Lord?” This question encompasses what are you, where are you, and why are you here. It is a question we can profitably ask ourselves at any stage of life or spiritual maturity, for God will continually broaden our sense of all that He is and will be in our lives. It is an awesome question to ask humbly, as the Biblical writers did, with questions like “why are you bothering with me, and what have I done to deserve your love?”
So ask and ask often, delighting In the ever-increasing role in your life by a God that wants to be your all-in-all.
Only One Thing To Do Today
“I have only one thing to do today. Follow hIm. The rest takes care of itself.”
The Chosen, said by Matthew, season 4 episode 2
The “One Thing” In Your Life
Imagine the power, simplicity, and clarity of having “one thing” that you desire most in your life. What would that “one thing” be? In a world that claws at you from every direction to install itself as your main thing, consider these words of the Psalmist:
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
(Psalm 27:4)
Where is this temple? How can we gaze upon the beauty of the Lord? Written thousands of years ago, the temple likely referred to the temple in Jerusalem. To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord could refer to the Holy of Holies in which the presence of the Lord lived, and which could be accessed only once a year and by only the Chief High Priest. With Christ, however, the temple lives in everyone’s heart and can be reached with prayer through faith.
If our “one thing” is Christ, he becomes our power, simplicity, and clarity.
More
Open my mind that I know that you are “more”; more than enough, greater than my problems, a never-ending stream of mercy and grace. Trusting that your will “will be done” is more than sufficient for me to face what is wrong in this world.
(From Morning and Evening Prayers)
Idols Are Worthless And Detestable
Idols compete with God for God in our lives. This is what Isaiah said about them.
“Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.
Tell us what the former things were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,
tell us what the future holds,
so we may know that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,
so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.
But you are less than nothing
and your works are utterly worthless;
whoever chooses you is detestable.”
Isaiah 41:22-24 NIV
Clean Your Mac
I regularly get a message to “clean my Mac” from an app that deletes unneeded junk, protects against threats, and speeds performance. It will also empty trash bins, uninstall useless applications, and shred files.
Do you see where I am going with this?
The Bible, study, prayer, forgiveness…all these help to clean the Mac of my soul.
When the app completes its work, it sends the message, “CleanMyMac has just finished cleaning up and perfecting your Mac.”
That’s the message we can receive daily when we allow the Spirit to do its job.
What Delights God?
I ask God for many things, I express gratitude, intercede for others, praise Him, and converse with Him throughout the day. These are all “me-centered” actions. It occurs to me that I have never asked God what delights Him, a “God-centered” approach. Not, “what must I do?” but “Lord, tell me what makes you happy, what pleases you, what makes you smile—how may I delight you?”
So, today I will ask.
The Bible gives us insight into this question. A good starting point is Psalm 147:11.
“the Lord delights in those who fear (to revere, hold in awe) him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (NIV)
The many different translations broaden context:
To worship, trust, respect, serve, and wait for his mercy.
Isaiah 1:17 adds “Learn to do good, to be fair, and to help the poor, the fatherless, and widows.”
For simplicity and clarity, we hear Christ say, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
And we hear God say,
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5
All these I know and have heard many times, but this is all mind-stuff and knowledge without truly embracing how God really feels. And so, like a father to a child, as we are to Him, I will ask “what delights you?” that I might delight Him.
Be Held In Faith
Is it too easy to abandon faith, to question it, when life starts to fall apart. Too often we stumble into the trap of using our own resources to rebuild what has been damaged. Instead, be held in faith. Not in doctrine, creeds, rituals, sophisticated arguments—nothing authored by man. Only Christ has the sure, steady, and gentle hands that can support us and make us whole again. (Inspired by Help! My Loved One Is Deconstructing Their Faith, by Meredith N Mills)
Wisdom Cannot Save Us
This is the tragic story of Solomon, the wisest of the wise. His gift of wisdom enabled him to rule Israel to its greatest period of peace and prosperity. Yet, sadly, it did not guard him from succumbing to passions which turned him from God. He had hundreds of wives, many who worshiped false gods. They, in turn, drew Solomon from his one God.
The lesson we draw from this story is that wisdom alone cannot save us. Nor can any gift, unguided; Solomon also had gifts that gave him the ability to acquire knowledge, fortune, and to build great structures (see Ecclesiastes).
Nothing that we seek and acquire for its own purpose will be totally fulfilling.
Solomon needed a savior and so do we. We cannot worship our gifts. But, we can worship the One who alone can save—Christ.
Is It Well With Your Soul?
Horatio Spafford wrote the lyrics to the classic hymn “It is Well With My Soul” after a series of tragic events. His two sons died in the Chicago fire of 1871 and the rest of his family perished two years later when their ship crossing the Atlantic sank. Yet, he wrote:
“When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
Where does this soulful serenity, peace—even joy—come from?
In the mid-to-late century BC, the prophet Habakkuk wrote these words on the brink of foreign invasion when one could easily abandon faith in God and His justice:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation, God, the Lord, is my strength” (Habakkuk 3:17-19b)
To be well with our soul is not something we can manufacture or through strength of character and sheer determination create on our own. It is only through the power of choice—choosing God over all else—that we can overcome and “be well.”
Who Runs Your Life?
Will Graham, son of Billy Graham, said this about his teenage years: ““As I got into my teenage years, it wasn’t that I did not believe in God. I just didn’t want God running my life,” (interview with The Epoch Times).
Who runs your life? This is an excellent question, a profound question, and a frightening one. For, to be totally honest—despite all I read and write, say and pray, think and do—I cannot say that I want God to totally run my life. Perhaps just a portion of it. And this frightens me. Where am I weak? Why? And what can I do to being totally under God’s rule?
This commitment requires more than my resolve and this is why I continue to pray, “Lord I believe. Help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24
“What Do You See?”
God asks Jeremiah, “What do you see?” (Jeremiah 1:11) God had chosen Jeremiah to be a prophet to Jerusalem, announcing Judah’s annihilation for its turning away from God and lack of repentance.. That’s not a very comfortable message for someone to deliver. The point, however, is that God asks a question that is relevant to all of us at all times; what do we see? What eyes do we see with? What prejudices block out reality? Use Holy Scripture, prayer, study, worship—all the means of seeing, that the downfall of Judah and the Israelite nation is not our personal downfall.
The Power Of Turning
There are many things in life to be saved from: disaster, ruin, heartbreak, despair, and much, much more. These are the things of life; they are inescapable. God is with us, if we choose, to overcome them or at least to deal with them. They may require immense effort and time
There is one thing, however, that can be instantaneous and ludicrously easy and that is being saved for eternity with God.
Isaiah 45:22
“Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
NIV
This is salvation and it is already done—accomplished through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ; we have merely to ask for it. It is like reaching into a closet and pulling out a royal garment. This is what is meant by “Turn to me and be saved.”
What Good Is An Engine If You Have No Fuel?
Whether that engine is mechanical, physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, if you have no fuel you have no power and without power your engine is useless. Why live with a useless engine; actually, if your engine is useless, you are not really living.
So you are tired and dispirited. Your tank is empty. How do you fuel up?
Isaiah has a solution. Consider 40:29 in these two different translations:
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (New International Version)
He gives power to the weary, And to him who lacks vigor He increases might. (Voice)
Power. Vigor. Strength. Might. Fuel!
The trap that we fall into is to look for fuel is all the wrong places. We look inward to our own, limited resources. We look outward to specialists who, though helpful, have their own limits. And we look for advice out of desperation from anyone who offers it—but to no true and lasting end. So, where do we fuel up?
We have a fueling station and it’s called the Bible. We have a pump and it’s called prayer. Our fuel is transported by the Holy Spirit. And the source of our fuel is Christ.
What Value Is Gold If It Remains In The Mine?
Gold has value only when it is extracted and claimed. So, too, with Christ. To know of Him, but not extract His love and not claim His love as your own is to leave gold in the mine. Claim Him as your redeemer, know that He lives in your life, as Job does, ‘I know that my redeemer liveth.” Job 19:25aist read Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon for April 21
You Have Weathered The Waves.
Now Beware The Undercurrent.
The great trials in life are not only things to be feared. Having survived the crashing waves, beware of letting your guard down lest you be pulled back into despair by the undercurrent of hidden forces.
Burdens
We are not meant to carry our burdens alone.
Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
Psalm 55:22
Look carefully at three words to gain a greater sense of the power of this verse:
Cast: to throw, hurl, banish, shed. This is not a simple, gentle laying down but a forceful, intentional act.
Sustain: to hold, seize, provide (as in supplies and food).
Shaken: toppled, cause to fail, to bring down, uprooted
More than just words of comfort, verse 22 is a call to be forceful and proactive in lightening burdens with the assurance that the Lord will hear and respond.
He Calls You By Name To Leave The Darkness Behind
He calls us by name to move out of the prison of darkness to a new life in Him, for there is no other life worth living. It is a call—almost a command—to break the chains of grief, fear, and hopelessness and move forward in a tenacious quest to fulfill your mission, strengthened by Him.
In our gloom of dark despair, we cannot know when, how, or by whom this call will come. But faith teaches and compels us to believe it will come. Let this be the beginning of our freedom.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
John 20:16
What Chains Bind Us? Do We Want Them Broken?
“We sit too often like chained eagles fastened to the rock, only that, unlike the eagle, we begin to love our chain, and would, perhaps, if it came really to the test, be loath to have it snapped.”
My Upmost For His Highest April 3
What? Three Thoughts To Focus On Today
What do you need to make it through the day?
What steals your joy?
What if God removed all His protection from you?
Are You Spiritual?
“I am spiritual” is an expression often heard. It typically means “I don’t go to church but I am a religious person,” whatever that means. Here is the definition from Oswald Chambers:
“The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others.”
—My Upmost For His Highest, April 2
Are you spiritual?
How Do You Look At The World?
Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor who lost her father and sister in a concentration camp, said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”
The Easter Message
How will we reread our lives in the context of faith? How will we read familiar texts with new eyes? How will we interpret the promises of the Old Testament in light of the Resurrection? Will we see that when we worship that which is not God, when we behave in a way that distorts humanity, we will realize that we are subject to death from sin, not life from Resurrection.
The Easter message is that the Resurrection is the final defeat of death, where death is all that fights against God and where death is the ultimate weapon of tyranny, godlessness, and Satan.
The Significance Of Holy Saturday
This day that falls between the crucifixion and the resurrection has its unique place in our lives, a place of quiet, confident hope. It is absent the action and drama of Good Friday and is not yet a day of joyful celebration. What can this day teach us about our lives that are lived between pain and happiness, sorrow and delight, failure and triumph?
We can learn that God is at work in the stillness. That hope does not vanish simply because the dawn has not arrived. That, though the work has been done, the benefit has yet to be realized.
Our personal holy Saturdays may be more than 24 hours; they may be 24 years. We just don’t know. But the work has been done and the benefit will arrive, in God’s time and in God’s way. Pray for a holy patience and understanding.
What If You Were In Jerusalem On Good Friday
Imagine that you are a tourist in modern day Israel and, through a time-warp, you found yourself on Calvary at the tiime of the crucifiction? What would you do? Take a selfie or worship?
How Being Good Can Be A Bad Thing
“Goodness and purity should never be traits that draw attention to themselves, but should simply be magnets that draw people to Jesus Christ. If my holiness is not drawing others to Him, it is not the right kind of holiness; it is only an influence which awakens undue emotions and evil desires in people and diverts them from heading in the right direction. A person who is a beautiful saint can be a hindrance in leading people to the Lord by presenting only what Christ has done for him, instead of presenting Jesus Christ Himself. Others will be left with this thought— ‘What a fine person that man is!'”
—My Upmost For His Highest, Daily Devotional, Oswald Chambers, March 25
Our conclusion may be this: be good, do good to shine light upon God’s glory, not your own.
Where Are You Going?
Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason— a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. Faith is rooted in the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest traps we fall into is the belief that if we have faith, God will surely lead us to success in the world.
When What You Thought Works No Longer Does
It is common, in conversations that have God in them, for someone to say, “I’m doing quite well without Him” or words to that effect. This brings me to a crossroad—how do I react, what do I say? Do I try to refute, give my own testimony, stay silent? I recently found a better way, consistent with my personality and style.
In a recent post, Mark Yarbrough, President of Dallas Theological Seminary, speaks to a similar situation that he is regularly confronted with. Here is his response:
“Hey, I’ll tell you what. The path you’re going down is likely to end up in what I call ‘life bankruptcy.’ When you hit bottom, give me a call. I’m here to tell you a better way—about a God who has the answers for the mess we’re all in and who reveals Himself in a clear, credible manner.”
I might use slightly different language but the response is clear: offer to be friend who will share openly and honestly “a better way” when what you thought works no longer does.
Grace In Abundance
Grace, whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from Christ freely and without price. As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, let us make daily use of our riches.
From Charles Spurgeon Morning And Evening, March 15
Uninspired? Lack Enthusiasm? Is Life Dull?
When you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step in your devotion to Him, in the reading and studying of His Word, in your family life, or in your duty to Him. It takes much more of the grace of God, and a much greater awareness of drawing upon Him, to take that next step, than it does to preach the gospel.
We lose interest and give up when we have no vision, no encouragement, and no improvement, but only experience our everyday life with its trivial tasks. The thing that really testifies for God and for the people of God in the long run is steady perseverance, even when the work cannot be seen by others. And the only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you.
(From My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers, Daily Devotional, March 6)
“Don’t Love What Cannot Or Will Not Love You Back.”
(Heard on Sirius Radio Comedy Station)
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Love’s Depth Chart
When God is pushed to the sidelines or knocked down in the depth chart of our devotion, something is clearly competing for our love and adoration. In many cases, it comes down to our hearts and the place of honor God occupies in our lives.
Source: Joel Ryan from iBelieve, 5 Signs Sports Is Becoming an Idol
Give New Life To Old Dreams
We all have many dreams and aspirations when we are young, but sooner or later we realize we have no power to accomplish them. We cannot do the things we long to do, so our tendency is to think of our dreams and aspirations as dead. But God comes and says to us, “Arise from the dead.”
(Chambers, February 16 on Ephesians 5:14)
We Forget That We Are Soldiers In A Constant Battle With A Powerful Adversary
We constantly fight battles throughout our lives; some big, many small. Some we are thrown into, some we enlist into. Regardless, we battle constantly.
Two important questions are, for what and for whom do we fight?
It has taken me a lifetime to realize that I am a soldier in God’s army, defending my faith against an adversary that seeks to devour me.
Fighting constant battles is draining and it is especially daunting when surrounded by the abundance of a blessed life; how easy it is to ignore the battle in the comfort of abundance. This is why Spurgeon’s warning is critical:
“It is a dangerous thing to be prosperous” for, in prosperity “We are full and we forget God: satisfied with earth, we are content to do without heaven.” (Morning And Evening Devotionals, February 10)
Let us put on the armor of God while we enjoy His blessings and be prepared for our daily battles.
Is There A More Beautiful Prayer?
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19
The Source Of All Blessings
We pray for mercy, forgiveness, deliverance, help, resistance to temptation and our daily bread of sustenance. We pray for all things from One God. We are constant beggars and this is rightly so, for God is merciful and generous to those who call upon Him. Do no cease to pray and ask.
The Chicken Hawk Circles Above
This expression is taken from an old Jamaican saying that describes the unseen threat circling above little chicks playing on the ground, oblivious to impending doom.
It is not for farmyard chickens alone. It is for us, our community, and our nation.
Satan is the chicken hawk seeking to devour us. Christ is our refuge and stronghold.
Teach Me How To Live
Teach me how to live in your perfect peace that I am not tormented of judgment from you or paralyzed or depressed by fear about the future. Let the power of your love so abide in me that I may always walk in your light, mindful of your calming presence at all times.
Art Thou Gloomy?
It’s easy to become gloomy, dulled by drudgery, and empty of enthusiasm. Spurgeon has a remedy for this in his January 24 Morning Devotional:.
“Forget not what thy God has done for thee; there must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee?”
Remember God’s mercies. Read the entire devotional and become revitalized.
Satan Says/God Says
Satan says, “I will make you happy.” God says, “I will bring you peace.”
Satan says, “worship me and I will give you everything you want.” God says, “worship me and I will give you everything you need.”
Happiness is transitory and depends upon conditions out of our control and which may be changed at any time. When we worship our wants we forfeit our true needs. Who do we listen to?
- Your Title Goes Here 50%
7 Uncommon Ways To Worship
We are all familiar with traditional worship*: praying and liturgical services. Is this all? Colossians 3:17 speaks in vastly broader terms, “all that you do”.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Here are 7 uncommon—but easy and well known—ways to worship throughout the day:
1. Smile
2. Say a kind word
3. Perform a loving action
4. Offer enthusiasm
5. Be encouraging
6. Support endurance
7. Be firm with tenacity
There is a dual blessing when you offer these to yourself as well as to others.
*There are many definitions of worship. This one fits well with the thought of this message: “the acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in everything we do.”
The Promises Of God
“Do as you promised,” (2 Samuel 7:25)
“God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; he intended that they should be used. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, “Lord, do as thou hast said.” We glorify God when we plead his promises.” (Spurgeon Morning/Evening January 15)
When faced with a problem, especially one that seems insurmountable, focus on God’s promises, not your fears.
Little Faith?
Fleming Rutledge, Episcopal priest and author, addresses a situation she often encounters in her ministry, where individuals question their faith or lack of it. She writes in Help My Unbelief,
“They have this idea that a certain specific amount of faith is required, and they are convinced that whatever the necessary amount is, they don’t have it and they aren’t ever going to have it. Sometime, it seems as though they have deified their unbelief; their very doubts have become articles of faith.”
Her message is the Gospel message: believe in God. He is your article of faith.
Spiritual X-Ray
The thought of having an x-ray taken disturbs me. X-rays search in areas I cannot see and may find something I would prefer to remain unseen, such as a medical problem that must be healed. But to ignore such a problem would be foolish, and the wise approach is to face reality.
Psalm 139 is such a reality check, but of our souls. In magnificent words, it acknowledges that God knows more about us than we do, and invites Him to cleanse us of all that is known and unknown to us. God’s purifying vehicle is the Holy Spirit.
To be purified in such a manner—through the faithful workings of the Holy Spirit—gave Oswald Chambers an immense sense of confidence that he was no longer condemned for known and unknown sins. Feel that freedom in this paraphrasing of Psalm 139 by Chambers (Utmost, January 9):
“Thou art the God of the early mornings, the God of the late at nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea; but, my God, my soul has further horizons than the early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature — Thou Who art the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot trace, dreams I cannot get at — my God, search me out.”
Change Requires Power
Change—meaningful change—requires change at two levels. The first level is a change in direction; overcoming inertia or its opposite, redirecting momentum, requires power. The second level is the power to continue in the changed direction. Depending upon our own power—first to change then to continue—is a losing proposition. Only power beyond ours is sufficient and that power comes from the Spirit. Discover that power in Christ and maintain it through your relationship with Him. “Follow me.” (John 21:19)
A New Year’s Day Commitment
Today I will go forth rejoicing in the power of the Spirit to live a life focused on Christ, with a faith based on confident expectation, not wishful thinking.
The Unequal Equation
It’s not what we have to offer God, but what He has given us that we may return to Him.
Faith To Accept The Sword
What do we need to step confidently into the New Year?
Three verses ground us in reality and provide wise guidance:
“I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword.”
Matthew 10:34“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33“The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.”
Galatians 2:20
What these verses are saying:
- The future holds trouble. Some of these troubles come from following Christ. In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “If you follow Christ, you shall have all the dogs of the world yelping at your heels…men will resent your unflinching fidelity, since it is a testimony against their iniquities.” This is the sword in Matthew, an allusion to the slashing of relationships.
- Faith brings peace. These troubles need not deprive us of peace, for the world of troubles has been overcome, defeated. Again, in Spurgeon’s words, faith in Christ establishes “a living, sensible, and delightful union which casts forth streams of love, confidence, sympathy, complacency, and joy” and gives us “the courage of a lion.”
Face the New Year with the faith that brings peace.
Quotations from Charles H Spurgeon, Morning and Evening Devotionals, December 28
Searching For Wisdom In The New Year
Of all the resolutions, plans, or goals for the new year you could make, would the search for wisdom be among them? Consider these two verses from the Psalms and how, together, they simply yet completely encompass a meaningful guide for living.
Psalm 90:12 (New International Version, NIV)
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalms 139:23-24 (New Living Translation, NLT)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
*Wisdom: a God-given and God-centered discernment regarding the practical issues in life.
Turning Point
Like the light that guided the Magi to Christ, what if your next words could be a turning point in the life of someone?
Bathe In Unconditional Love
The word “unconditional” implies more than “without conditions.” It implies abundance without limit, love without merit. And to be bathed in such a way suggests immersion to the fullest, luxury to the highest. There is only one source of unconditional love. How will you bathe in it this day?
The Power Of Light Is The Fullness Of Joy
The quality of light to penetrate darkness belies its complementary quality to fill up; beyond erasing the negative nature of darkness, light unfolds the positive characteristics of life. And, much like a laser cuts, it also may weld
This positive quality of light is expressed as fullness:
“and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:19
“and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”
Colossians 2:10.
Fullness is a beguiling word with a richness that deserves to be explored. Taken from the Greek, it means to make full, make complete, bring to fruition, basketfuls, and, perhaps its most precious meaning, “all in all.”
The light of Christ—His power—destroys darkness and fills us with such a fullness and abundance of joy that we are brought to fruitful completion, the all in all of our lives.
The Power Of THE LIGHT
There is power in light to clarify, direct, and strengthen our way through the darkness of everyday living. Our decision is what power source to choose.
If we choose our own mind, abilities, and resources we may shed some light on difficulties, but it is the equivalent of using a penlight in place of a powerful beacon; the energy source is too limited, too weak.
Christ defines Himself as The Light, meaning His energy source is without limit, the beam of His light dispels all darkness.
The lesson is clear: use the most powerful light from a source that can never be exhausted.
“The boundless reservoir of thy grace can never be exhausted, and the overflowing storehouse of thy strength can never be emptied by thy friends or rifled by thine enemies.” (Spurgeon, Morning December 22)
The Power Of Light
As we approach Christmas, I am reminded of the images of light in the Gospel stories. In Luke 2, we encounter the “shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…’ In Matthew 2, the Magi go to Herod and report “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Glory and stars are metaphors for light.
Light is important in the Bible because it is important to our lives. Darkness means confusion, fear, uncertainty, and danger. Light that dispels darkness means clarity, confidence, and safety.
Jesus said he is the light of the world (John 8:12) and shines His light in a dark world so that we do not wander in darkness (John 12:46). Psalm 119: 105 proclaims “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Let the power of Christ’s light bless you this day.
Why Do We Need Christ?
There are happy pagans and comfortable atheists, so why do we need Christ in our lives? It is simply because His peace, joy, comfort, a truly abundant life and all other blessings are part of a higher standard we cannot obtain without Him, understand apart from Him, or fully experience separated from Him.
Stop Wrestling With God
Will stop wrestling with God when I find myself, like Jacob, alone, afraid, and completely broken—just where God wants me to be. I will surrender and then ask for His blessings, unmerited by me. I wrestle every time I seek my will, and God lets me prevail, though I go away limping spiritually. Far better to wrestle before God with things that distance me from Him and ask for His strength.
Reshape Your Worries
Worrying about worry is like trying to damn the stream, stop the tide, or defy gravity: its force is too great to resist. Use its force against itself. Divert worry, deflect the arrow, parry the sword and reshape worry through petition, praise, and prayer.
Philippians 4:6
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers”
Message Bible
In The Midst Of Trouble
Lord, I delight in watching how you will unravel this thing.
Based on Chambers, Utmost December 14
Who Can Measure Us?
Our personality is unique and too vast for us even to comprehend. “We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.”
Chambers, Utmost December 12
What is Christmas if not…
Meeting the Divine
Even in simple things,
And becoming like a child again.
Inspired by Scrooge, A Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens
A Holiday Prayer For Joy
In A World With Too Little Of It
Lord, I’m not feeling particularly joyful today. In fact, I’m feeling a little empty, drained, and uninspired, with nothing to look forward to other than the same old same old. But I also know that you are the author of all joy, that you desire it for us, and that to look to you is to find joy. I recall that there is joy in knowing you, following you, obeying you, glorifying you. There is joy in trusting you, believing your word. Help me this moment to reap this joy that lays before me.
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
Psalm 4:7
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
Be Redeemed By Sacrifice, Not Sorrow
Today I will base my forgiveness, redemption, and the healing of my relationship with God on Christ’s sacrifice, not on my sorrow. There is no power in my sorrow; it is only the door to acceptance.
Entrance Into The Kingdom
The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man’s respectable goodness;
Oswald Chambers, Utmost, December 7
A Strategy To Defeat Stress
The tendency is to fight stress with activity, to beat it into submission. But this only feeds the beast. Try rest, especially resting in God. Set aside quiet time. Tell God what is not going well in your life, and listen with your heart to what He has to say.
“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary.”
Isaiah 40:28 (GNT)
Where Is Your Personal Story Going?
How God Can Edit The Story Of Your Life
Do you read your life like a story whose next page is unwritten? Are you fearful of what will appear on that next page? Are dark things from the past clouding your hope for a better future and happy ending?
If we think of the abundant life as a story to be written, then there can be no greater editor than God. We create the typos; he fixes them.
There are actions we can and should take now to influence our story; let us be guided by wisdom and discernment. There are other actions in situations that are beyond our control where despair shrouds hope and healing seems impossible. Is this writer’s block, or might faith contribute a special edit?
Consider how God, through Christ, edited the story of The Man Born Blind (John 9). We read about a man blind from birth who, in the daily actions of his life, crosses paths with Jesus. He is brought to Jesus’s attention by his disciples for a theological discussion, not one of compassion. This discussion has a lesson of its own and worthy of understanding, but for the purpose of this message let’s simply look at the outcome of this apparently chance encounter. The blind man, without even asking, is healed so that he may see with his eyes, but also with his heart; he was physically and spiritually healed. The next chapter of his life was transformed from what should have been bleak to one that offered him a new reason for living.
What This Story Is Telling Us
There is no story so bleak that cannot be redeemed by Christ. We cross paths with Christ in many ways and in these encounters there is always the hope for healing and for sight to be restored. God, as author, has limitless resources for creative and bountiful edits. Look with faith for these encounters with His Son through the Holy Spirit and be prepared for amazing grace to enter your life’s story.
“The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.”
“How much more?” might be our question. Would a “grain of heart’s-ease (be) of more value than a ton of gold?” Would a smile from God be desired over a palace? (Spurgeon Nov. 30 Morning) God’s “much more” is greater than we could imagine. It is up to us to decide how much less we would accept without Him.
Scripture source: 2 Chronicles 25:9
Beware The Holiness Movements
“The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God,” (Utmost, November 29)
It is great to be uplifted and inspired but, as Oswald Chambers warns, beware that what we feel is not the essence of Christ. Christ is more than a cheerleader at His pep rally, a mascot for His team. He is God, sufferer and redeemer, worthy of our total surrender and transformation. He is nothing less than awe-inspiring.
Recharge With Gratitude
Are you depleted? Is you emotional tank empty? No energy, no desire to do anythig? You need to recharge, and one priceless yet free source of energy is gratitude. Gratitude is an energy source because it draws us to the ultimate energy source, God.
Where Do You Choose To Live?
We live at two levels: the upper, external level influenced by the circumstances of life, and the lower, foundational level of the Cross of Christ. The apostle Paul was unmoved by the emotions and state of the external things in his life because he was rooted and grounded in the consistency of God. Where do you choose to live?
Jailbreak
We all live in a prison of some sort at some time. Not necessarily a room with iron bars, but a room in our minds and souls with invisible bars that prevent us from breaking free to a life of meaning, peace, and abundance. Ironically, we are the ones who incarcerate ourselves. We imprison ourselves by living a life apart from God, a life of personal independence that, ultimately, results in a type of slavery that is as constricting as being bound by chains.
If we were to look at ourselves as God sees us, we would ask, “Why can’t we see that we are free?” We don’t see because we don’t look, or we look with eyes clouded by our own sense of frailty, weakness, and self-doubt. The freedom that we truly seek, the freedom that God desires for us, is found when we seek Him. Jeremiah said it boldly and clearly: “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
In Acts 16, Paul and fellow traveler Silas were imprisoned after Paul freed a female slave from a spirit by which she predicted the future. Unfortunately for Paul, the woman was used by her owners to make great sums of money by telling fortunes. The slave owners, furious at their loss of revenue, caused Paul to be stripped, beaten with rods, severely flogged, and thrown into prison where his feet were fasted in stocks. We read:
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” The jailer, at risk for losing his life if the prisoners escaped, asked Paul, “what must I do to be saved?” Paul answered, “ “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”
Paul was in the type of jail that we so often find ourselves—one where there appears to be no escape. We are put there because the life we live is fraught with unfairness, brutality, evil, and bad choices. But Paul did not allow his spirit to be bound, and neither must we, for his hope was in Christ. It was this belief and trust that loosened his chains and broke open the prison doors.
This is more than just a nice story. It is a story of freedom. Believing in the Lord Jesus is our jailbreak. In the life we live, the physical prison doors may not always be thrown open but the door to our heart, where we are free to serve God, is opened. What are we waiting for?
Gratitude—The Practical Side
Why be grateful? What’s in it for you? If you do not express gratitude, are you truly grateful?
Am I alone in sensing that there is less gratitude being expressed in life today? Have we become so self-centered that there is no room for gratitude? Has a sense of unlimited entitlements pushed thanksgiving from our consciousness?
If so, perhaps a practical look at gratitude may change our thinking.
“So many of his (David’s) psalms focus on thankfulness, reaffirming how gratefulness is not dependent upon our circumstances but rather on the condition of our hearts instead of what’s going on around us in our situations. Like thankfulness helped David to stay close to God, giving thanks keeps the attitudes of our hearts softened and turned toward Him rather than focused on what problems are taking place in the world.”
(Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/ written by Lynette Kittle)
Gratitude expressed is life-enhancing. Without gratitude, the picture of your life is incomplete. Enrich your life with a sense of ever-flowing gratitude.
Is The Only Thing You See Is All That You Lack?
The world is not my home.
I’m just a-passing through.
The only thing that you can see is all that you lack.
You got to come on up to the house.
Words and lyrics by Tom Waits
From the documentary Sly.
We live Life In A Vacuum
Actually, we live life in two vacuums. The first vacuum is in our daily lives. We tend to focus on the vacuum of lacking more. It is the desire to have more, be more, and do more. This vacuum makes us ungrateful.
The second vacuum is the vacuum of the soul. We are made to desire God and anything less than God will leave us empty. And who can have too much of God?
The solution to both types of vacuums is surprisingly simple. Being grateful in our daily lives will generate gratitude for the gifts, blessings, and grace that already abound. This, in turn, will fill us with the soul-satisfying essence of God Himself.
The Most Valuable Advice
When asked what is the most valuable advice he could give a missionary in her work, Desmond Tutu responded, “God. Is. Love.” An amazing trinity of words.
Complementing this is Paul’s desire expressed in Ephesians 3:18. “”And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
When Life Doesn’t Work
The world is broken, my life is a mess, there’s no one to help me, and my wifi is down. Why shouldn’t I just give up?
Giving up—waving the white flag of surrender—is always an option. And there are innumerable books and articles that tell you why you shouldn’t. Above all reasons, and rarely mentioned in this broken world, is the fact that we belong to another world and are not made to give up.
Trial Of Faith
Never confound the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life. Much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. (Chambers, My Upmost October 31)
What is the discipline of life? It is that bad things happen to faithful people. What is the trial of faith? It is the discipline of remaining true to God, to trust in His Word when blessings seem to vanish.
