Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers [January 29, 2006]

My Utmost for His Highest (The Golden Book of Oswald Chambers; 1992) ^ | 1935/1992 | Oswald Chambers

[Alamo-Girl]

How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!

" Who are You, Lord? "

—Acts 26:15

"The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand . . ." ( Isaiah 8:11 ). There is no escape when our Lord speaks. He always comes using His authority and taking hold of our understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you. God speaks in the language you know best— not through your ears, but through your circumstances.

God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, "I know that this is what I should do"-and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. "He . . . rebuked them, and said, ’You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’ " ( Luke 9:55 ). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13 .

Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— "I delight to do Your will, O my God . . ." ( Psalm 40:8 ).

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]

[Alamo-Girl]

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

[Alamo-Girl]

Devotion ping!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I have told you what to do,
how to do it
and when,
when I should have relied
on your sense of timing,
your knowledge,
your wisdom.

O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I thought it was I who was the doer,
I who had the strength,
I who had the wisdom.
when it was you
who was holding my hand,
lifting me up,
keeping me safe.

O my Jesus,
forgive me all those times
when you came to me in the guise
of someone distressed,
in need,
ugly,
angry,
or hard to like,
when I chose to be rude,
or ignore you,
or curt,
or cold.

O my Jesus,
help me remember
that you are my wisdom,
you are my strength,
you are my fortress.
Teach me to love
as you love,
see as you see,
care as you care
until I become
a tool of your mercy,
an instrument of your peace,
a lantern of your light,
Amen.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for the beautiful prayer and meditation!

[1lawlady]

Wow! That's just the prayer I needed to breathe at just this time. Why am I still so amazed at G-d's providence? I should know better by now, but I keep bumbling on. Thank the Lord He loves my stumbling, bumbling self and others through me. What a miracle. Thanks for the prayer...Susan

[misty4jc]

Amen KAC!!

Thanks for the ping AG! Oooh good message! This is one of those I need to think and pray on (and hope I'm not doing it!). :o)

God Bless you guys!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your testimony and blessing! May God always bless you, misty4jc!

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you ("Alamo-Girl")

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(Genesis 49:25 NKJV) By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

(2 Chronicles 14:11-12 NKJV) And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!" {12} So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

(2 Chronicles 18:31-32 NKJV) So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. {32} For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

(2 Chronicles 32:7-8 NKJV) "Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. {8} "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

(Psalms 27:8-10 NKJV) When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." {9} Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. {10} When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

(Psalms 28:7 NKJV) The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

(Psalms 30:10-11 NKJV) Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!" {11} You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

(Psalms 37:39-40 NKJV) But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. {40} And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.

(Psalms 40:16-17 NKJV) Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!" {17} But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

(Psalms 42:5 NKJV) Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

(Psalms 46:1 NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

(Psalms 54:4 NKJV) Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.

(Psalms 60:11 NKJV) Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.

(Psalms 63:6-7 NKJV) When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. {7} Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

(Psalms 70:4-5 NKJV) Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified!" {5} But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

(Psalms 79:9 NKJV) Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name's sake!

(Psalms 94:17-18 NKJV) Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. {18} If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.

(Psalms 109:26-27 NKJV) Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, {27} That they may know that this is Your hand; That You, LORD, have done it!

(Psalms 121:1-2 NKJV) I will lift up my eyes to the hills; From whence comes my help? {2} My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

(Psalms 146:5-6 NKJV) Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, {6} Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever,

(Isaiah 41:10 NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

(Isaiah 41:13 NKJV) For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

(Isaiah 50:7-9 NKJV) "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. {8} He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. {9} Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.

(Romans 8:25-29 NKJV) But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. {26} Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. {27} Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. {28} And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. {29} For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

(Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. {15} For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." {6} So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

http://www.seekgod.org/bible/godshelp.html"

---

"I am infore of pain of what is happening a Katowice, eto fore pray always pray; infore be always in love of His Majesty; et a te(you) know true love, go follow His Majesty.

Ete eto fore everything writing for you is for you to know; infore in humble heart. Angles of His Majesty Majesty Majesty of Israel are released; infore for Angles of four elements of Earth are shaking humanity.

Infore more will come; eto be not disturb; eto is written. Who are these great Angles of His Majesty;
Saint Michael; Saint Gabriel; Saint Uriel; Saint Raphael. Eto fore they are infront of His Majesty Holy Throne.

Inocordinuum love of saints and innocent comes to His Holy of Holy. Eto fore love is you need to have, from it you will know everything."

---

Be strong good persons! Thank you all

[.30Carbine]

Psalm 118
Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

2 Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

5 I called on the LORD in distress;
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
11 They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.

29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

[.30Carbine]

Be strong, Little One;
The Lord is Your Strength and Song;
He is become Your Salvation.

[TPartyType]

So true! His yoke is easy . . . our "self-imposed" yoke is not. But that's the point, isn't it. It's harder to be proud and brag about a light burden! :o)

Have a blessed day!

[alpha-8-25-02]

GOOD LORD'S DAY!

"The things which are not seen."
- 2 Corinthians 4:18



In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking
forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for
hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the
future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking
into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed,
the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the
saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can
see death's river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light
attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter
within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the
hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with him, and
made to sit together with him on his throne, even as he has overcome and
has sat down with the Father on his throne. The thought of this future may
well relieve the darkness of the past and the gloom of the present. The
joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows of earth. Hush,
hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and thou shalt soon have
forded it.
Time, how short-eternity, how long! Death, how brief-immortality, how
endless! Methinks I even now eat of Eshcol's clusters, and sip of the well
which is within the gate.
The road is so, so short! I shall soon be there.


"When the world my heart is rending
With its heaviest storm of care,
My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,
Find a refuge from despair.
Faith's bright vision shall sustain me
Till life's pilgrimage is past;
Fears may vex and troubles pain me,
I shall reach my home at last."


C.H.SPURGEON

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for the Scriptures and exhortation!

[Alamo-Girl]

LOLOL! Indeed it is. Thank you so much for your insight. May God ever bless you, dear TPartyType!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for the beautiful Spurgeon devotion!

[Kitty Mittens]

Joining you All in Love to our Savior-King!

King David Expresses his Praises to the Lord: "O Lord God of our father Israel, Praise Your Name Forever and Ever! Yours is the Mighty Power and Glory and Victory and Majesty. Everything in the Heavens and Earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your Kingdom. We Adore You as Being in Control of Everything. Riches and Honor Come from You Alone, and You are the Ruler of All Mankind; Your Hand Controls Power and Might, and it is at Your Discretion that men are Made Great and Given Strength. O Lord our God, we Thank You and Praise Your Glorious Name!" (1Chron.29:10-13)

A Beautiful and Blessed Sunday to All!

[Alamo-Girl]

Amen! And may God bless you dear Kitty Mittens!

[anonymoussierra]

Amen!!!! Thank you all

[Ciexyz]

Prayer bump.

[Ciexyz]

Faith-sharing bump.