Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

July 8, 2013
 
Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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The Vital Sign of Hunger for God's Word

It is not unusual for someone who becomes physically sick to lose their appetite.  In fact, when a person is deathly ill, the doctor will often pull loved ones aside and say, "Try to get them to eat something.  If they're going to recover, they have to eat."

The same is true when someone is sick spiritually.  They lose their appetite for spiritual things.  They lose their appetite for the Word of God.  In fact, when you see a believer who has lost his or her hunger for God's Word, it is a sure sign that person needs to be revived.

At least three times in Psalm 119, the psalmist tells us that one of the ways God will revive you when you are spiritually weak is through His Word.

In verse 25 he says,

My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.

In verse 107 he says,

I am afflicted very much; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.

And then in verse 154 he says it again,

Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.

If you are going to be revived, it will be in large part according to or through the Word of God.  In fact, what the psalmist is literally saying is, "Give me life.  Revive me through Your Word."  The more you feed on God's Word, the more you hunger for it.

So a critical vital sign of the spiritual life is a hunger, an appetite, for God's Word.  There is a renewed hunger for spiritual truth when you are revived.  As you feed upon His Word, it will give you more life, it will give you more strength, and it will give you spiritual vitality.

 

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His Plan for Your Life

In His Presence: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling" (Psalm 73:1).

There will be days when you find that you just don't feel like worshiping God. Perhaps the temptation to compare yourself to someone else has caused you to feel down and even depressed. Driving home from work on Friday, you tell yourself you are glad the week is over because it has been a rough one. As you lament over how tired you feel, Satan blindsides you with the thought that your friends and coworkers do not really appreciate you.

By the time you open the front door of your home, your eyes have narrowed and your forehead has tightened. You are frustrated and ready to give up. Still, you do not pray and ask God for His perspective. You just keep repeatedly thinking through the day and rehearsing your negative feelings. Saturday morning you get up feeling haunted by the same emotions. By Sunday you force yourself to drive to church, but you certainly don't feel like singing or praising God.

Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, would understand your plight. He allowed discouragement to grow in his life to the point where he was deeply disturbed.

Whenever we take our eyes off of God and His faithfulness, and begin to compare our lives with those around us, we either end up feeling defeated or prideful. God has created each one of us for a unique purpose, which includes worshiping Him.

Psalm 73 is a rambling account of what Asaph was feeling, but by the end, he realizes the truth and puts an end to his negativity. "As for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works" (v. 28).

The closer you are to God, the less likely the Enemy will have a shot at your emotions. Stay focused on what God has for you to do. You are His beloved child, and He has an amazing plan for your life. Will you praise Him for this?

One Minute Please
Sometimes God seems so far away that you can't talk to anyone else but Him-because nobody else will understand what in the world you are talking about.

 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
Will You Examine Yourself?
 
Joshua said to the people, 'You cannot serve the Lord . . .' -Joshua 24:19
Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, "I cannot live a holy life," but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. "You cannot serve the Lord . . ."- but you can place yourself in the proper position where God's almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?

"The people said to Joshua, 'No, but we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, "But God could never have called me to this. I'm too unworthy. It can't mean me." It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, "I will serve the Lord."

We say, "Oh, if only I really could believe!" The question is, "Will I believe?" No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. "He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?


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The Vital Sign of Passion to Reach the Lost

One of the major signs that someone needs to be revived is a lack of concern for the lost.  In David's psalm of repentance, Psalm 51:10-13, he says,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.

When David says, Renew a steadfast spirit in me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, he is saying, "God, revive me, restore me, renew me."  One of the fruits we find in a heart that has been revived is a desire to see others converted.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.

When a person's spiritual life wanes, there is very little thought and very little action aimed at reaching the lost.  Yet, someone who has been revived and is spiritually healthy will be actively engaged in the evangelization of the lost.

Read carefully these words from Elton Trueblood, a Quaker scholar.  He said, "Evangelism occurs when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires.  It is easy to determine when something is aflame.  It ignites other material.  Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out."

When you are spiritually revived, you will think about the spiritual state of the people that you rub shoulders with every day.  It is inevitable that when your heart is revived and close to God, you will have a concern for the lost.
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A Heart of Gratitude

In His Presence: "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The little boy looked up at his father and grinned from ear to ear. He said, "Thanks, Dad!" as he gently rubbed his hand over the new baseball glove and then, with a balled fist, pounded it into the glove's center. He had wanted a new glove for weeks, but he didn't know how to ask for one. How did his dad know what he needed?

"Wow, this is great!" An endless line of happy comments came tumbling out of his mouth as he proudly displayed the glove to his mom. "I'll be able to catch Bobby's infield throws now! How did you know, Dad? Wanna play some catch?"

Who could resist such a request? Certainly not this father. He was overwhelmed by his son's gratitude and appreciation.

When was the last time you thanked your heavenly Father for something that He gave to you? Maybe you are thinking that it doesn't seem like you have received much lately. It is time to look deeper.

This young boy didn't ask for a new glove because he knew his family was having financial trouble. Instead of lamenting over the difficulty, he became determined to keep using the glove he had. His father, however, had noticed his son's need and turned to God in prayer. He didn't know how the Lord would answer, but he believed God would. So, he also began to thank God every morning for hearing his prayer and answering this simple request. A few days later, he wasn't surprised when a friend called, telling him that there was extra work that needed to be done at his office. The father jumped at the opportunity, and when he was handed a paycheck, he headed to the nearest sporting goods store. God always meets our needs, and we need to say "Thank You, Lord."

Your heavenly Father has a solution for your situation. Whenever you express gratitude to Him, His heart is filled with great pleasure because He knows that you have learned how to be thankful in all things.

One Minute Please
Thanksgiving is the recognition of God's goodness with a grateful heart. It is simply gratitude expressed to God for His faithful, loving care.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
The Spiritually Lazy Saint
 
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . -Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative- our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

"Yes, I think it is right," Peter said, ". . . to stir you up by reminding you . . ." (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up- someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up- all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement- He says, "Go and tell My brethren . . ." (Matthew 28:10).


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The Vital Sign of Spiritual Insight

In the Old Testament, we find the story of Ezra and a large group of Israelites who returned to Jerusalem to reestablish the temple and the worship of God. In the midst of this incredible effort, Ezra prays a powerful prayer, as recorded in Ezra 9:8,

"And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage."

Ezra prays that their eyes would be enlightened spiritually.  It is reminiscent of Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1, when he prayed that the eyes of the Ephesians would be enlightened, spiritually opened.

One vital sign of the need for revival is when we are spiritually dull and insensitive to God's promptings, and the Holy Spirit's direction and creativity.

Perhaps you can remember something creative that once operated in your life, but sadly, it has waned.  It has declined.  It has gone dormant.

It shouldn't be that way!  The Holy Spirit wants to prompt you and guide you and give you knowledge and creativity.  But when you are living in a spiritual fog, and you have become accustomed to living in that fog, you can be assured you have become spiritually dull.

That is when you need to be revived.  And when you are, there is an enlightening of the eyes.  There is a renewed sense and an awareness of the prompting, and the wooing, and the guiding of God's Spirit.  That is what comes with revival.

When you are spiritually revived, you will be sensitive to God's Spirit, and you will gain from Him supernatural insight and enlightenment.


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Walk by the Light of His Love

In His Presence: "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand" (Psalms 73:23).

Harriet Tubman was a small wisp of a woman, yet God used her to do a mighty work. Maybe, as you read these words, you are wondering how God could possibly use you. You feel defeated and want to quit. Don't. Instead, keep reading.

While the Civil War threatened to tear our country apart, there were key players behind the scenes that not only worked to preserve life but also defended liberty, hope, and the belief that there is another life worth living. Harriet was one of these people. Without a thought about her own safety, she led hundreds to safe houses along the Underground Railroad and became a legend as she crossed back and forth over lines of battle.

She made the journey countless times, and many wondered how she could continue traveling such long distances-along roadways that were carved out of thick and unruly landscapes. But she did. Even though the threat of death shadowed her, she refused to stop. How did she do it?

The answer is simple: She had a fixed focus on her goal and nothing was going to turn her. Her faith in God's unconditional love gave her the strength she needed to continue her treks to freedom.

Perhaps you long to travel your own road to freedom. You look up at night into the heavens and wonder how you will continue-especially when your heart feels weary and burdened by life's pressures. You can continue on but only when your faith is in Someone much greater than yourself.

The psalmist writes, "Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day" (Psalm 139:12). Each night, Harriet Tubman walked straight through the darkness and on to freedom. In fact, nighttime was the safest time for her to travel, and she did not walk in fear. Perhaps it was because she carried a light of hope with her-the light given to her by an eternal God.

You too can worship the Lord because He does great things, and His loving hands encompass your life.

One Minute Please
Satan spends a lot of effort bricking up your view of God's victory and grace. Therefore, keep walking and keep holding up God's light of hope and grace.

[Judy Harder]

 
Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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The Vital Sign of Pride

Pride and self-sufficiency are unmistakable signs of a heart that is in desperate need of reviving.  Isaiah 57:15 tells us,

For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

To have a contrite heart literally means you break easily.  Even at the thought of grieving God's Spirit you break and repent very quickly.  It means you walk softly in your heart before God.

God says He will revive those with a humble spirit and a contrite heart.  But one of the great dangers among Christians today-especially for those living in the western world with all of its abundance-is a belief that we don't need anything.

More than ever we need to read the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:17,

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."

How can you be miserable and naked and not know it?   It's obvious that Jesus is speaking of their inward, spiritual condition.  Apparently, their outward wealth blinded them to their inward poverty.   They fell into the trap of pride, which is one of the inherent dangers that comes with prosperity.  As Christians living in a very prosperous western world, we need to heed this word!

At Disneyland there is a ride with cool little cars.  I remember once seeing a little boy on the ride with his dad, and his feet didn't even reach the pedals!  But Junior thought he was driving, oblivious to the fact that Daddy was actually driving the car and making it go.

We need to remember that our feet don't even reach the pedals, and that Daddy, our God, is the One who makes this thing go.  We need to maintain a humble heart.

 

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No Shifting Shadows
In His Presence: "Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude" (1 Timothy 4:4).

What looks like a closed door to you is God's pathway to blessing. What appears to be a nightmare can become His dream for your life. And what may seem like the worst news you could possibly receive can actually be the point of a new beginning. This is because no matter what God allows to touch your life, He has a plan for your future through it.

It is easy to think of God's goodness in a lighthearted way when it seems that we have everything going for us-a good job, health, a growing family, two new cars in the garage, and a house with several bedrooms. Life seems rich and full. But if we never learn to say "thank you" to the Lord, then we have not learned the truth of James 1:17. "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

There are two extremes that can prevent us from living with grateful hearts. One is a sense of pride. We become prideful and believe that we have earned all that we have. When we have this attitude, we can expect to run headlong into trouble (Proverbs 16:18).

The second extreme comes as a result of feeling sorry for ourselves. While the temptation to be sorrowful-and even depressed-may pull at our hearts at times, we need to refuse it by turning our eyes heavenward. With a grateful heart we should say, "Thank You, Lord. I'm hurting, and I know You understand. I don't know how You will use this heartache that I am feeling, but I trust You to do just that-use it for Your glory and for my blessing."

God loves to hear our words of worship and praise. When we thank Him-even in times of difficulty-for His constant care over our lives, we are expressing our faith and trust in an omnipotent God who watches over every aspect of our lives.

One Minute Please
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:. Therefore, be grateful that the light of His love covers you.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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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.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotional

July 15, 2013

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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In the Pits?

There are times when each of us are in the pits, when life just seems to be upside down and nothing seems to be going right.

As you read the Psalms, you realize King David often felt this way.  Take Psalm 88 for example.  In verses 2-6 he says,

Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.  For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave.  I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand.  You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths.

Pretty descriptive of how you and I can sometimes feel, when our soul is full of troubles...like one who has no strength...adrift among the dead...whom You [God] remember no more.

When you are in the pits, it can often seem like there is no way out.  Your soul is full of trouble, you are despondent, you are overwhelmed by the problems of life, you can almost feel like something has died inside of you, and you might feel totally cut off from God, like He has somehow forgotten you.

What I want you to see in today's Scripture is that you are not alone.  Every one of us has gone through these difficult days.  Even King David!

God knows your struggles.  Like David, take time today to share with God all that is on your heart, and in the next few days, I will show you how you can get out of the pits!
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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.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
The Concept of Divine Control
 
. . . how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! -Matthew 7:11
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God's control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.

Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, "My heavenly Father knows all about this!" This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?

Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God's will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. "Ask, and it will be given to you . . ." (Matthew 7:7).


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Waiting on God

To get out of a pit, it's really not complicated.  Psalm 40:1-2 tells us the first step,

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.

The first step in getting out of the pit of despair is to cry out to God.  He will hear your cry, and He will bring you up and out.

But His answer is not always instant.  Notice David said, I waited patiently for the Lord.  The answer to his cry wasn't apparent for a while.  If you've spent a long time getting yourself into a mess, it may take some time for your deliverance.

A number of years back I went hunting with a friend.  I was to fly on a little plane into a meadow about 20 miles into the wilderness where he was going to meet me.

For a variety of reasons, I ended up being six hours late to the drop-off point.  My friend wasn't there, so for 20 minutes the pilot of that little plane tried to convince me not to stay.  He said there were mountain lions, grizzly bears, packs of wolves...I would get eaten alive!

He finally left, and at about two in the morning I heard a noise.  It wasn't a grizzly bear; it was my friend with the horses!

I think the devil is like that airplane pilot.  He is always trying to talk us into quitting and giving up.  But we can miss the greatest blessings in our lives when we are not patient.


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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.

[Judy Harder]

 
Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
The Miracle of Belief
 
My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom . . . -1 Corinthians 2:4
Paul was a scholar and an orator of the highest degree; he was not speaking here out of a deep sense of humility, but was saying that when he preached the gospel, he would veil the power of God if he impressed people with the excellency of his speech. Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the effectiveness of redemption, not by impressive speech, nor by wooing and persuading, but only by the sheer unaided power of God. The creative power of redemption comes through the preaching of the gospel, but never because of the personality of the preacher.

Real and effective fasting by a preacher is not fasting from food, but fasting from eloquence, from impressive diction, and from everything else that might hinder the gospel of God being presented. The preacher is there as the representative of God- ". . . as though God were pleading through us . . ." (2 Corinthians 5:20). He is there to present the gospel of God. If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will never get close to Jesus Christ. Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the gospel will result in making me a traitor to Jesus, and I prevent the creative power of His redemption from doing its work.

"And I, if I am lifted up. . . , will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32).


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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.  Psalms 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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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.
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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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.
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotion by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
 
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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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.