Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

July 6, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

Visions Become Reality
The parched ground shall become a pool . . . -Isaiah 35:7


We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation.

Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And battered by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.

God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us. God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor's hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal.

The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don't lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.
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View from the Top

I sometimes think Jesus views the Church much differently than we view the Church.  In fact, there is a really alarming verse that points to this.  It is Revelation 3:1,

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:  "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead."

WOW!  That was written to a church that on the outside looked like they had it all together!

They had a reputation of being a living, vibrant church!  People who saw them went to seminars to find out how they were doing it, and people applauded them for their success.  But Jesus says, "You're dead!"

The Knox Bible puts it this way,  How thou dost pass for a living man and all the while art a corpse.  The Living Bible says, I know your reputation as a live and active church, but you're dead.

You see, activity is not synonymous with life.  Sometimes people and churches that are decaying spiritually cover it up with activity.  They are still "going through the motions," but there is really a spiritual decay eating away inside.

People think they are doing great, but Jesus sees right to the heart of the matter, both in our individual lives and in the Church.

May God keep you and me from being so mislead.  May we look to Him always for our daily bread, recognizing and acknowledging that every blessing we possess, every stride of progress we make, is the result of His goodness and His grace alone.

He is the One whose view really matters!
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Your Heart, God's Home

In His Presence: "I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it" (Acts 15:16).

What makes the place where you live merely a house? What transforms it into a home? Many people purchase houses that never become their home while others live in an apartment they do not own, but they consider it home. The thing that makes a house a home is not a deed or piece of paper. Rather, it is the relationships that are shared by those who live within its walls. If there is a lack of love and respect, then you simply have a meaningless building framed with brick and mortar. However, if the relationships are firm and loving, even a small apartment can be a lovely place to live.

God has a favorite home. In Acts 15:16 He tells us that one day He will rebuild the tabernacle of David. It always helps to understand what God does not say. He doesn't say that He is going to rebuild the tabernacle of Moses or the grand temple of Solomon. Instead, He says, "I am going to rebuild the tabernacle of David."

What is so special about the place that David built? The answer is in Acts 13:22, "[God] said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.'" It was David's character that drew God to his home. And it was through that kind of devotion that the Messiah would reign. Therefore, the tabernacle to be rebuilt was the spirit of David's kingdom.

The Lord loved to be with David because David loved being with Him. He passionately sought the Lord's presence. Therefore, David's tabernacle was unlike that of Solomon's because it was more about God's kingdom than a place to practice rituals. Though grand, Solomon's temple had veils within that separated the people from God. But David's kingdom was an example of love and obedience to God. David was always ready to worship; he was always in the presence of God.

This is what the Lord desires for us. He wants our hearts to be His home-His place of worship where He can meet with us and know that He is welcomed. Is your heart a heart of worship and one that seeks the God of love and truth?

One Minute Please
The passion of any house of worship must be Jesus Christ. Then it will be God's home.

God bless

[Judy Harder]

July 7, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult
Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . -Matthew 7:13-14


If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult.  The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in-it stirs us up to overcome.  Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest-our best for His glory?

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). But we have to "work out" that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10 , and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God's grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The Slippery Spiritual Slope

The slippery slope to spiritual decline is one that is almost imperceptible.  One day you are on fire for God, and then before you know it, you are dull and lethargic.

How does spiritual decline happen?  I think there are at least four ways:

Through neglect.  If you neglect a garden, the weeds grow.  If you don't water the garden, it will eventually dry up.  Sometimes we get into a state where we need to be revived due to neglect.
Through the storms of life.  Life can sometimes beat you up.  Some people have been so beaten up that they are just worn down; and when you couple that with neglect, it is a recipe for spiritual disaster.
Through the influence of wrong company or wrong relationships.                        1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Do not be deceived.  Evil company corrupts good habits. ." And the very next word is awake.  Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.  Do not be deceived.  Evil company, bad company, corrupts good habits.
Through willful disobedience.  I don't know anyone who hasn't been guilty at one time or another of willful disobedience.  And when that is not repented of, when it is not taken care of, it brings us into a state of spiritual decline that can be very dangerous.
So what do you do if you find yourself in spiritual decline?  Let me leave you with this verse, Hosea 6:1,

Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

The same Spirit that convicts also comforts.  If you are convicted, repent.  Repentance is an inward change of heart resulting in an outward change of direction.  Return to the Lord and let Him heal you and bind you up.


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Worship the King

In His Presence: "Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15).

As you open up a hymnal on Sunday and sing along with the choir, remember, God is not listening to the tone of your voice or the words you sing. He is listening to your heart. Is it turned to Him in worship and praise and adoration? Or is tuned to the distractions of the world? Are you thinking about His goodness or about the person you promised to meet at the mall later in the afternoon?

When life suddenly falls apart, people begin to search for answers. At times, it seems as if they are willing to search anywhere but in the presence of God. Recently, an actor was on television telling why the cult he was involved with was the only one that could actually help people get in touch with themselves. However, his approach was very vain, empty, and naïve-and totally devoid of God.

Unless we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we can't know our true identity. This is because our identity is in Christ. Each one of us was created in the image of God-not by a human philosophy or culture. We were shaped for His worship-to stand in the presence of God's holiness and not in the drafty, dark, and lonely halls of sin and fear.

The songs of our lives need to reflect our love and faith in the Savior who died so that we might have eternal life. Praise hymns are wonderful to sing, but much of our deep Spiritual truth and theology can be found in the hymns of old. One of these is "O Worship the King" by Robert Grant.

O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. . . .
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

One Minute Please
When it comes to worship, sometimes we spend so much time on the appetizers that we forget to enjoy the main course.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 8, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . -Joshua 24:15


A person's will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will- I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God's Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.

". . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . ." Your choice must be a deliberate determination- it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God- do not "confer with flesh and blood" about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading- the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Openly declare to Him, "I will be faithful." But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, "You are witnesses against yourselves . . ." (Joshua 24:22). Don't consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, "I will serve You." Will to be faithful- and give other people credit for being faithful too.
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Patience in Repentance

In yesterday's devotional, I mentioned Hosea 6:1 as a challenge to repent if indeed God is convicting you.

Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

God is indeed a God of compassion Who wants you to return to Him.  That is the nature of His grace!

It's not unusual to truly repent of a sin, to seek to return to God and walk with Him, but not feel anything right away.  And perhaps, to get discouraged.

The verse that follows Hosea 6:1 gives us a good word as a clear encouragement.  Here is what Hosea 6:2 says,

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

You need to understand that the evidence of revival may not be perceivable right away.  That is why I believe Hosea says, After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up.

You need to be careful not to say, "Well, Lord, you have until lunchtime today to do something.  And if it doesn't happen by then, I'm out."

God wants you to stick with your commitment to repent.  He wants to know you are serious in your desire to walk with Him.

Remember the words of Zechariah 1:3, "Return to Me," says the Lord of hosts, and "I will return to you."  Returning to God is something you can do.  But only God can do God's part.

If you will return to Him, He will return to you.


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The Privilege of Being in God's Presence

In His Presence: "The Lord has blessed the house of Obededom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God" (2 Samuel 6:12).

In 2 Samuel, we read how David decided to bring the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. However, he did not move it the way God commanded that it should be transported in Exodus 25. The Levities were commissioned by God to be the ones to carry this important part of Israel's worship. Instead of following what he knew was right, David decided the ark, which represented the very presence of God, would be more secure on a new cart with the Levities walking in front of it. He ignored God's instructions!

Whenever we sidestep what we know is right before the Lord, we end up getting into serious trouble. This situation was no different. David had also ordered an elaborate display for the ark's arrival-all of Israel was to be on hand for the event. However, as the procession crested a small hill, the oxen became upset and the ark started to slide.

Without thinking, Uzzah reached out and touched the ark, and the anger of the Lord burned against him. God struck him down because of his irreverent attitude, and suddenly the celebration came to a halt (2 Samuel 6:7). David was stunned. His plans had failed. So he took God's ark from the threshing floor of Nacon to the house of Obed-edom. It wasn't until three months later that God allowed the ark to be moved to Jerusalem. This time, David got it right and sent the Levities to personally move the ark to its new home.

When it comes to worship, God does not kid around. We may laugh and sway to the music being played in our worship services, but God wants our hearts to reflect the purity and holiness that His Word commands.

As the ark entered Jerusalem, David danced "before the Lord with all his might" (2 Samuel 6:14). This time He knew that he had done what was right from God's perspective rather than his own. Do you limit your worship of God to Sundays or other religious events? If so, you could be moving dangerously toward touching something that God has said for you to keep holy.

One Minute Please
How you handle the things of God goes a long way in determining the character of your worship and whether you will be blessed or cursed.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 11, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
. . . that I may know Him . . . -Philippians 3:10


A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing- even eating, drinking, or washing disciples' feet- we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. "Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples' feet . . ." (John 13:3-5).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is "that I may know Him . . ." Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.
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Have You Dug a Pit for Others?

In order to get out of the pits, you need to make sure you haven't dug any pits for others.  Psalm 7:14-16 tells us,

Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.  He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made.  His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

Then there is Psalm 9:15-16,

The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.  The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Finally, Psalm 57:6,

They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.

When people dig a pit for somebody else, they end up falling into it themselves.  In fact, Proverbs 26:27 says it most directly,

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

Pretty plain, isn't it?  If you are asking God to get you out of a pit, you need to take time to consider if it is a pit of your own construction.  If you have done something to get someone else in trouble-even if you think you are justified in doing it because that person has hurt you-you need to repent.  Until there is repentance, God will not intervene.

God is not going to get you out of your pit while you have a shovel in your hand. 
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A Pattern for Worship
In His Presence "Even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary" (Hebrews 9:1).

Many of us can remember watching our mothers make dresses when we were children. Patiently, they would cut out a pattern, pin it to the fabric, and then carefully cut out the pieces so they could be sewn together. The pattern was a guideline for something greater-a dress, skirt, pair of slacks, or blouse.

When we plan the construction of a building, we begin with a blueprint as well. It becomes the pattern we follow in building the structure. In fact, anyone who has ever undertaken a building project knows the importance of architectural drawings. The goal in using these is to achieve a greater result.

If you are going to do anything well in this life, you must begin with a design. The same is true of worship. God outlined a precise pattern for Israel to follow in their worship of Him. The nation had witnessed His miraculous deliverance and their release from Egyptian bondage. However, over time they forgot His goodness and waned in their devotion to Him. The pattern He had given them was meant to lead them to a greater, closer relationship with the God of the universe. But they did not understand this principle and strayed.

The same is true for us today. God loves us with an everlasting love and has provided a pattern for our worship. It is one that, if we use it, will guide us into a close, personal relationship with the Savior. We find His pattern for worship in His Word and through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told His followers, "When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13). The Spirit of God is the one who lays a pattern for us to follow in worship and praise. Ask God to develop within you a heart of devotion to Him. Then you will experience not only the fullness of His blessings but also the outpouring of His delight in your life.

One Minute Please
Worship requires a basic design, but it produces a glorious result-one that leads us straight into the throne room of God.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 12, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church
. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . . -Ephesians 4:13


Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be. This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption. The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization. The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose- that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat. We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development? The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ- ". . . that I may know Him. . ." (Philippians 3:10). To fulfill God's perfect design for me requires my total surrender- complete abandonment of myself to Him. Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?
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Are You Rebelling Against Authority?

If you are in the pits, you need to make sure you are not in rebellion against God's established authority, or aligned with those who are.

In Numbers 16 there is an instructive story of Korah and his followers.  They openly confronted Moses and Aaron, and challenged whether they were really God's ordained leaders.

Moses and Aaron were flawed and fallible just like every one of us, but Korah wanted to usurp authority that did not belong to him.

God had placed Moses and Aaron in their position of authority, but Korah tried to undermine that authority and lead people against them.

Look at the result of Korah's rebellion.  Moses is speaking in verses 30 and 31,

"But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD."  Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.

Notice that it was not just Korah who was destroyed.  All those who were aligned with him also went into the pit.

I don't think the ground is going to open up under you if you rebel against the authority that God has set up.  But you may find yourself in an emotional, physical, or financial pit that you cannot get out of until you get the rebellion out of you.

If you are in a pit today, check your heart and make sure you are not in rebellion against God's ordained authority.
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The Light of Worship

In His Presence: "If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship" (1 John 1:7).

In his classic book, The Pursuit of God, pastor and author A. W. Tozer writes:

When we sing, "Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord," we are not thinking of the nearness of place, but of the nearness of relationship. It is for increasing degrees of awareness that we pray, for a more perfect consciousness of the divine Presence. We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.

Why do some persons "find" God in a way that others do not? . . . Of course, the will of God is the same for all. He has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children. The difference lies not with God but with us.

In Old Testament times, there was a spiritual distance between the people and God. Before entering His presence, the priests were required to wash ceremonially and offer a sacrifice for their sins. Only after doing this could they enter the temple. Women could only worship in a certain area of the temple. Their husbands could travel a little further toward the altar of God, but the priests were the ones who offered sacrifices for the people. This is not so today.

The coming of Jesus Christ ended this rigid form of worship and tore away the veil that separated God from His people. Today, we are never outside of His presence. Therefore, it is even more important to be sensitive to His holiness and our need for purity.

The Israelites ritually washed in order to be clean before God. However, after Christ's resurrection, they did not understand that the gift of God's grace could live with them and cleanse them completely. Today, we can bow our heads in prayer, ask God to forgive our sins, and be completely assured that He does. We are cleansed-not because we are special but because His Spirit lives within us. Isn't this enough to stir your heart to worship and praise?

One Minute Please
The Word of God cleans you and prepares you for worship, even when you do not know it is at work in your life.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 13, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

The Price of the Vision
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . -Isaiah 6:1


Our soul's personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally- when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?

My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, "I saw the Lord," there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God's surgical procedure- His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, "In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You."

Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.
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Are You Obeying God's Warnings?

The third thing you should check in your life, if indeed you are in the pits, is to make sure you have obeyed God's warnings.

God does warn us, but we must listen to those warnings.  As Job 33:14-18 says,

For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it.  In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.  In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

God always tries to warn us to keep us out of the pits and to keep our lives from danger.  And He speaks in many different ways.  Sometimes, as we read here, God will speak to us even through a dream.

As I look at my own life, I can see that I have fallen into pits at various times because I did not listen to God's warnings.  There have been times I have been too busy to perceive the fact that God was talking to me.  It wasn't that God wasn't warning me.  He was.  I just had a bunch of other things going on in my life and was not taking time to listen to Him.

He is always faithful to warn us.   It's just that we are not always faithful to listen.  So if you find yourself in a pit today because you did not heed God's warning, just say, "God, I'm sorry."  Repent.  God will forgive you.  And you will be in the position to receive His deliverance.
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A Love That Will Not Let You Go

In His Presence: "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15).

When he was eighteen years old, author and theologian George Matheson went blind. Yet, he continued his studies and entered college where he became an outstanding student. Later, he was ordained as a preacher in the Church of Scotland. Throughout his early years, his sister remained at his side, helping him to study and learn Greek and Hebrew-which added spiritual depth to his writings.

He was, however, destined to suffer an even greater loss. His sister married and he was forced to confront his impending loneliness. A broken marriage engagement in his own life left him questioning God's personal love and divine care.

It was during this period of his life that he wrote a well-known hymn proclaiming the one thing that he believed was still true. God's love for us will never let us go. He writes:

"O Love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be."

Some believe that Matheson wrote these words on the day that his sister was married. He confessed, "Something happened to me on that day, which was known only to myself and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. This hymn was the fruit of that suffering."

Perhaps you have suffered a great loss, and you don't know how you will ever worship God again. Your dreams are shattered and your heart is broken. Worship does not always come as a result of overflowing joy. It also can pour out of a heart that is hurting. After all, it was Job who wrote, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 15:13). God understands, and you can still worship Him because He will never let you go.

One Minute Please
Worship is simply our response to a loving God who refuses to let go of us.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 14, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 
Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile
I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also -Matthew 5:39


This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus- it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, "Do your duty," but is, in effect, "Do what is not your duty." It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, "Oh well, I just can't do any more, and I've been so misrepresented and misunderstood." Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling "up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . ." (Colossians 1:24). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is- Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.
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The Pit of Immorality

In the last several devotionals, we have discovered a variety of ways to get out of the pits.  Today, I want you to focus on something that is an increasing problem in the Church today.  Immorality.

Solomon tells us in Proverbs 22:14,


The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; he who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.

And he says in Proverbs 23:27,

For a harlot is a deep pit, and a seductress is a narrow well.

Immorality is a deep pit.  A pit that is difficult to get out of once you have gotten yourself into it.  Not only do you get physically involved with another, there is an emotional entanglement that is not that easy to get out of.

Solomon also says immorality is a narrow well.  It is binding, restrictive, and it suffocates your spiritual life.  If you are seeking God for deliverance while continuing to engage in immoral behavior, your effort is fruitless.

If you are in the pits today because of an immoral relationship, you must cut off that relationship before seeking God's deliverance.  If you will ask God for help after you have repented and cut off that relationship, He will help you beyond anything you could imagine.

God is a merciful God.  And He has the ability to work something for good even in a situation like this.  If you are truly repentant and broken, God can do something good.

God is the only One who can break something and make it more valuable.  I break things, and they lose their value.  But when God breaks something, it becomes more valuable.

If you are in an immoral relationship, stop it, repent, and He will forgive you, and bring you out of your pit. 
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Are You Shouting?

In His Presence: "Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones" (Psalm 33:1).

Shirley Caesar sings a song entitled "Hold My Mule." Itis a song about a man who was called Shouting John because he loved to worship God. The problem was that he ended up going to a city church whose members did not appreciate his form of worship. However, this did not stop John. When he felt the Spirit move, he shouted all over the church.

It wasn't long before he had irritated some of the members, and the deacons decided they needed to have a talk with Shouting John. Standing in one of John's fields-where the old man had been plowing with his mule-they explained why he could not continue his antics. "We're a quiet church," one of the men said, "and you can't be doing all this."

Shouting John listened for a moment, and then he said, "Just a minute. Look out there." He pointed to his fields. "You see all that land? I'm a [former] slave; I'm not supposed to have anything. Yet, I got all this land. Whenever I see that land or think about it, Shouting John gotta shout!"

He paused a moment and then continued, "Look at my chillen. All my chillen are alive. All my chillen are saved. All my chillen are doing fine. Whenever Shouting John thinks about the goodness of God to his chillen, Shouting John gotta shout!"

Then he said, "I get up every morning when the rooster crows and Shouting John get on the back of this mule, and it pulls that plow so Shouting John will have food all year long. When I think about God giving Shouting John a mule and the strength to plow when he is 85 years old, Shouting John gotta shout!" It was then that Shouting John turned to one of the deacons and said, "Hold my mule, I feel a shout coming on."

When we realize where God has brought us from and the plans He has for our future, we will want to shout and never stop!

One Minute Please
The thing that determines whether or not a person is a true worshiper of Jesus Christ is the gratitude that overflows from his or her heart.


God bless

[Judy Harder]

July 15, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

My Life's Spiritual Honor and Duty
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians . . . -Romans 1:14


Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. The greatest inspiration in Paul's life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that same sense of indebtedness to Christ regarding every unsaved soul? As a saint, my life's spiritual honor and duty is to fulfill my debt to Christ in relation to these lost souls. Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His redemption into evident reality in the lives of others? I will only be able to do this as the Spirit of God works into me this sense of indebtedness.

I am not a superior person among other people- I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus. Paul said, ". . . you are not your own . . . you were bought at a price . . ." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and he said, in effect, "I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel of Jesus; I am free only that I may be an absolute bondservant of His." That is the characteristic of a Christian's life once this level of spiritual honor and duty becomes real. Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken bread and poured-out wine in real life.
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The Pit of Pride

The fifth and the final reason your life may be in the pits is pride.  We always need to check our hearts for pride.

In Isaiah 14:13-15 we read,

For you have said in your heart:  "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."  Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

This passage records God's rebuke of Satan when he was kicked out of heaven.  Satan was talking real big with pride oozing from every word that he said.

But God said, "That's what you think.  I'm going to throw you down to the pit."  And because of the pride in his heart, Satan will indeed be thrown down to a pit for all eternity (read Revelation 20!).

Pride is a dangerous thing.  In fact, so dangerous we are told in 1 Timothy 3:6 to not put a novice into a leadership role in the Church, lest being puffed up with pride, he or she falls into the same condemnation as the devil.

Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pride is a weird thing.  It's like bad breath.  Everybody seems to know you have it before you do!  But pride will not only get you into a pit, it will destroy you.

I want to challenge you today.  If your life is in the pits, check to see if it is because of your pride.  If so, humble yourself, otherwise you are not going to get out!
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At the Savior's Feet

In His Presence "I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but [this woman] has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair" (Luke 7:44).

It was customary for the master of the house to provide water at the door so that those who entered could wash their dusty feet. Simon, a Pharisee, had obviously overlooked this important detail. However, the Savior used this oversight as a point to teach His disciples an important lesson about God's forgiveness, grace, and personal worship.

A woman who was a prostitute had been waiting for the right moment to express her devotion to God. We are not told how she got into Simon's house, only that she suddenly began to worship at the feet of the Savior, and every man in the room was aware of it. Without hesitation, she bowed before the Lord and broke the seal on a priceless bottle of perfumed oil. Obviously, she had heard Him teach at some point in the past and had repented of her sin. Nothing is so sweet to the Savior as the fragrance of our repentance.

This was her opportunity to say thank you to God for what He had done in her life. The perfumed oil she poured over His feet was very costly. Yet, Jesus did not stop her from worshiping Him or question where she had gotten the money to buy such an expensive gift. He knew her actions where motivated by pure devotion to God. He also realized that it was a steep sacrifice and something that she would remember for the rest of her life.

Though she did not know it, she was anointing the Savior for his burial. Simon, however, did not even offer a simple pan of water so Jesus could wash His feet. Instead, the Pharisee acted in a typically legalistic fashion. He questioned why Jesus would allow such a display of affection to happen, especially knowing that this woman was a sinner.

God is not ashamed to be with us. This woman fell at Christ's feet knowing that He had forgiven her many sins. She was there to worship Him. And today is the day that you can do the same.

One Minute Please
When you realize the grace of God that has been given to you, you will bow down before Him.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

July 18, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

The Mystery of Believing
He said, "Who are You, Lord? -Acts 9:5


Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.

There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral virtue in obedience, unless a person recognizes the higher authority of the one giving the orders. If this recognition does not exist, even the one giving the orders may view the other person's disobedience as freedom. If one rules another by saying, "You must do this," and, "You will do that," he breaks the human spirit, making it unfit for God. A person is simply a slave for obeying, unless behind his obedience is the recognition of a holy God.

Many people begin coming to God once they stop being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart- Jesus Christ, not religion. But "Woe is me" if after seeing Him I still will not obey (Isaiah 6:5 , also see Isaiah 6:1). Jesus will never insist that I obey, but if I don't,I have already begun to sign the death certificate of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say, "I will not obey," He will never insist. But when I do this, I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption. It makes no difference to God's grace what an abomination I am, if I will only come to the light. But "Woe is me" if I refuse the light (seeJohn 3:19-21).
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The Power of Zero

Perhaps you are in a very stressful time in your life right now, and you feel you can't go on.  I want you to know that you are not alone.  In fact, some of the greatest men and women of God have gone through what you are going through right now.

One of those individuals is the prophet Elijah whom I mentioned in yesterday's devotional.  After a great spiritual victory over the priests of Baal, we find him on the run, wondering whether life is even worth it.

We catch the story in 1 Kings 19:4-6,

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree.  And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough!  Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"  Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."  Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water.  So he ate and drank, and lay down again.

Elijah had reached that "zero" place in his life.  There was nothing left.  He had given it all and the tank was empty.

Maybe that describes you right now, you are on the verge of quitting.  You figure, "I've had enough.  I'm done.  Enough pressures, enough hassles, I cannot ride this thing out anymore.  My strength is gone!"

Well, did you notice that when Elijah was at the end of his strength, that was when God intervened?  Being out of strength, being at zero, is not a bad place to be. If you will look to God, He is prepared to meet you in your moment of need.


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The Person of the Holy Spirit

In His Presence: John 14:16-29

Our God is a triune Being, three Persons in One. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. They are distinct from one another in Their personhood, but They are one in their essence. They are like pretzels, which have three holes but are all tied together by the same dough. The Three are distinct in their functions, but They are essentially one God.


God bless

[Judy Harder]

July 19, 2011


Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
 

The Submission of the Believer
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am -John 13:13


Our Lord never insists on having authority over us. He never says, "You will submit to me." No, He leaves us perfectly free to choose- so free, in fact, that we can spit in His face or we can put Him to death, as others have done; and yet He will never say a word. But once His life has been created in me through His redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a complete and effective domination, in which I acknowledge that "You are worthy, O Lord . . ." (Revelation 4:11). It is simply the unworthiness within me that refuses to bow down or to submit to one who is worthy. When I meet someone who is more holy than myself, and I don't recognize his worthiness, nor obey his instructions for me, it is a sign of my own unworthiness being revealed. God teaches us by using these people who are a little better than we are; not better intellectually, but more holy. And He continues to do so until we willingly submit. Then the whole attitude of our life is one of obedience to Him.

If our Lord insisted on our obedience, He would simply become a taskmaster and cease to have any real authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we truly see Him we will instantly obey Him. Then He is easily Lord of our life, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The level of my growth in grace is revealed by the way I look at obedience. We should have a much higher view of the word obedience, rescuing it from the mire of the world. Obedience is only possible between people who are equals in their relationship to each other; like the relationship between father and son, not that between master and servant. Jesus showed this relationship by saying, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). ". . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered" (Hebrews 5:. The Son was obedient as our Redeemer, because He was the Son, not in order to become God's Son.
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Your Weakness, God's Power

2 Corinthians 12:9 is a powerful reminder of God's provision for you and me when we reach the end of our strength.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

When Paul wrote these words, he was being harassed everywhere he went by an evil spirit that he referred to as "a thorn in the flesh."  It was a messenger sent from Satan to buffet him, to constantly harass him.

The constant harassment of this spirit finally got to him, and he begged God three times to take it away.  Paul was clearly at the end of his rope.

But, even though Paul prayed for God's intervention three times, the spirit did not depart.  And God's response to Paul was the verse we read above.  His strength is made perfect in weakness.

What does perfect mean?  It means that His power comes to full maturity...it blossoms...it is fully expressed in our weakness.

What was Paul's response?  He went on to say in verses 9-10 of that same chapter,

Therefore most gladly I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It seems that sometimes we have to get to the end of ourselves before we will look fully to God.  But when we do, we find that He is more than enough.  If you are there today or close to that point, take hold of God's strength.

Put your trust in Him.  He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.
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Let the Waters Flow

In His Presence: Psalm 19:14

"Jesus stood and cried out, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, "From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water." ' But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified"(John 7:37-39).

We know God wants Christians to grow. Spiritual growth takes place deep down inside us. It comes from the Holy Spirit, whose job is to make the "waters flow." However, most Christians have a home improvement mentality, where we depend on ourselves to produce the development we know we ought to have. But if we could do it ourselves, we wouldn't need the Holy Spirit. The assumption of the work of the Holy Spirit is that we can't do it ourselves. Just as air enables a horn to make a sound, or wind enables a sailboat to move, the Holy Spirit enables the spiritual life to work.

Many Christians do not realize what they have within them. If we were riding on a bus and it broke down, we would all look pretty foolish if we got out to push the bus while Clark Kent was sitting inside it. Christians tend to want to row themselves to spiritual progress. We row and row until we are so tired that we want to give up. But God wants us to use the speedboat with the motor, and He provides it for us.

One Minute Please

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, there would be no spiritual progress.


God bless