Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers [May 11, 2008]

"The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . ." ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.

In 1910 Chambers married Gertrude Hobbs. They had one daughter, Kathleen, who still resides in London (as of 1992).

In 1911 he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London, where he lectured until the school was closed in 1915 because of World War I. In October 1915 he sailed for Zeitoun, Egypt (near Cairo), where he ministered to Australian and New Zealand troops as a YMCA chaplain. He died there November 15, 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix.

My Utmost for His Highest, his best-known book, has been continuously in print in the United States since 1935 and in this, the last decade of the century, remains in the top ten titles of the religious book bestseller list with millions of copies in print. It has become a Christian classic. [from the flyleaf of the book]

Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.

I can attest from personal experience that reading from Chambers daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.

- Religion Moderator

"I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you." This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable— it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.

Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:14-16

But those things which were profit to me, I gave up for Christ. Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward, Philippians 3:7-8

I just re-read what is below, and realize that it is, indeed, a rambling way to say, "Thank You!!!", but, here, tis -- right from the heart:

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When I turned on my computer this morning, and there was no "New posts to you" already on my FR page, I immediately wondered, "Where is my Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers?"

Then I thought, Oh, no! What if Vision was caught in that horrible tornadic outbreak last night!?! So, on my way to your FRProfile page (to mouse-over the flag at upper left [to determine your home State]) I started praying for you. What a relief it was to see, "Maryland Message Board" pop up!!

And, then, I couldn't resist re-reading your entire Reagan tribute (which I am wont to do from time to time). Great stuff!

What a joy it was to return to my "Comments" page and see that, while I was re-reading your FRProfile, you had posted, "Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers [May 11, 2008]"!!

How easy it is to take God's daily blessings for granted... :-(

So, here are my heartfelt thanks for your faithfulness in "feeding us daily meals of 'spiritual meat' from His Word"!!!!!

It is really sad that it takes a threat (like a night of tornado watches/warnings) to make us realize how blessed we are to have folks like you who minister in word and prayer -- every day -- to all of us.

So, with great relief, thank you (once agin) for your faithful "Daily Reflections..." ministry to us -- and apologies for falling into a rut where I started taking you and your ministry for granted!

May our Lord richly bless you -- while He ministers to all those who were devastated by last night's weather...

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P.S. I started this as a FReepMail, but decided to "go public" with it -- because I expect that I speak the thanks of others who reap the blessings you sow, and then go on about their activities without taking time to comment and/or say, THANK YOU --AND THANK GOD FOR YOU!!!

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