Archive for July, 2008
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Verse: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” – Matthew 5:3
Quote: “Jesus Christ did not come to teach only; He came to make me what He teaches I should be.”
That is such a great truth that can be easily missed. If Christ came only to teach, all He did was set a standard that could never be reached; but by showing us the course first-hand, and offering to help us every step of the way, He actually empowers us to do what is otherwise impossible. What better example to emulate than the One Who has perfected what you are trying to do? Jesus doesn’t just say “Do as I do,” but “Follow Me.”
Tags:Bible, daily devotion, example, follow, God, impossible, Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:3, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, teach, The Gateway to the Kingdom
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Sunday, July 20th, 2008
Verse: “They that wait upon the Lord…shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
Quote: “If our common-sense decisions are not His order, He will press through them and check; then we must be quiet and wait for the direction of His presence.”
This is one of my favorite things that Chambers frequently refers to: if we are in constant fellowship with God, the natural decisions we make will be in line with His will; and if they’re not, He will check us and point us back in the right direction. The idea is that as mature believers, we shouldn’t have to stop at every crossroads and ask God which way to go, we should instinctively know because of our daily communication with Him. There will be times where we are unsure of the next step, but that is where we stop and wait for the presence of God to guide us.
My parents will always welcome a phone call from me asking how long to leave a ham in the oven, or what type of drill bit I need to buy, but their real joy comes in seeing me personally make the correct decisions in my life based on the things they taught me. Even so, God wants us to act out the lessons we’ve learned while resting on His bosom.
Tags:Bible, communication, daily devotion, Dependent on God's Presence, fellowship, God, Isaiah 40:31, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
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Saturday, July 19th, 2008
Verse: “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” – John 13:13
Quote: “The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience.”
Jesus leaves us free from the obligation of obedience, and give us the ability to choose. “So free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word.” We must learn that obedience is not our duty to Christ, for He never insists upon it, but it is a result of our relationship as sons of the Father.
Tags:Bible, daily devotion, God, John 13:13, Mastery Over the Believer, My Utmost for His Highest, obedience, Oswald Chambers
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Friday, July 18th, 2008
Verse: “And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?” – Acts 9:5
Quote: “It is a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I am if I come to the light, but woe be to me if I refuse the light.”
I had a rough day today. After waking up early yesterday to play golf, I went at it all day until my buddy Rob and I went to the midnight showing of The Dark Night (I’m out in Amarillo with Rob for a couple of weeks playing some shows with him, for those who didn’t know). We didn’t think about how late a midnight showing would go, so we didn’t get back home until 3:00am and had to get up at 6:00am to leave for Oklahoma where we’re playing at a camp with Rob’s brother, Kurt.
I felt out of it all day today, just completely out of my element. I couldn’t focus and rehearsal went awful because my brain couldn’t stay on track. Luckily we made it through the night without any train wrecks.
All of this rambling to say I didn’t feel like I had anything to offer God today, but He still chose to work through me by way of music tonight. And I am eternally grateful that He doesn’t care what shape I’m in, if I will open myself up to Him, He will use me.
I’m about to pass out staring at the screen right now, but I wanted to get this post up before I went to bed. I should be back on track and making sense tomorrow.
Tags:Acts 9:5, Bible, daily devotion, God, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, redemption, The Mystery of Believing
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Thursday, July 17th, 2008
Verse: “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” – Daniel 11:32
Quote: “Oh, that we may know our God by familiar fellowship with him; for then we shall be prepared to stand up for truth and righteousness. He who comes forth fresh from beholding the face of God will never fear the face of man.”
It is the constant communication with God that us gives us resolve to resist His enemies. When you are out of fellowship with God, it is easy to forget that He has the power to overcome all obstacles, and you stumble in fear out of separation from Him. The second half of the above quote is so powerful; who can be against you with the awesomeness of God fresh in your spirit?
I’m headed out to an early game of golf, but I hope to expound on this, and maybe a little “more awake” editing when I get back.
Tags:Bible, C.H. Spurgeon, Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, daily devotion, Daniel 11:32, fellowship, God, righteousness, truth
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Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
Verse: “How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” – Matthew 7:11
Quote: “Prayer is not only asking, but an attitude of mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural.”
Chambers believes Jesus’ emphasis was not on God giving you what you ask for, but that He can give it to you; God is all-powerful. Always keep your mind on the idea that God is in complete control of your circumstances, and communicate to Him with that understanding. Don’t ask blindly for everything you want, but out of the knowledge that God knows your situation and knows what’s best for you, and rest in perfect confidence that He will “give good things to them that ask Him.” If you pray along this line, it may be that what you receive is far greater than what you asked for.
Tags:ask, Bible, daily devotion, God, Jesus, Matthew 7:11, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, pray, receive, The Notion of Divine Control, trust
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Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
Verse: “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians.” – Romans 1:14
Quote: “Quit praying about yourself and be spent for others as the bondslave of Jesus. That is the meaning of being made broken bread and poured-out wine in reality.”
Praying for yourself is not wrong, praying for God’s blessing and direction, etc. But only thinking of yourself in prayer, and denying your responsibility of intercessory prayer for others is wrong. As Christians we often forget that the only reason we are here, the reason God didn’t take us home as soon as we pledged our allegiance to Him, is to serve others and reveal the life and love of Jesus Christ.
Tags:Bible, daily devotion, God, honor, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, prayer, Romans 1:14
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Monday, July 14th, 2008
Verse: “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” – Matthew 5:39
Quote: “When you are insulted, you must not only resent it, but make it an occasion to exhibit the Son of God.”
Chambers refers to this scenario, not attacking when you are insulted, as “the humiliation of being a Christian.” In the natural world, it is only cowardice that prevents a man from hitting back, but spiritually it is the strongest thing to do. It is not up to you to prove if a man is right or wrong, you are to take it upon yourself to do right, and not to cease.
Tags:Bible, daily devotion, God, insult, Matthew 5:39, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, persecution, turn the other cheek
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Sunday, July 13th, 2008
Verse: “In the year that king Uzziah dies, I saw also the Lord.” – Isaiah 6:1
Quote: “It must be God first, God second, and God third, until the life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any account whatever.”
Friends are an amazing blessing and can continually point you towards God, but sometimes God will remove people from your life to help you see Him more clearly. No matter how godly a person is, or healthy your relationship is with them, God Himself must remain top priority in your life.
Tags:Bible, daily devotion, friendship, God, Isaiah 6:1, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, priority, vision
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Saturday, July 12th, 2008
Verse: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished.” – 2 peter 2:9
Quote: “But the godly are delivered out of their trials, and that not by chance, nor by secondary agencies, but by the Lord himself. He personally undertakes the office of delivering those who trust him.”
You are going to face trials in your life and rightly so. When you persevere, you emerge from them closer to God and with a better understanding of the life He has for you. God insists on trials, be He also insists on being with you every step of the way. “He personally undertakes the office of delivering those who trust him.” That was worth repeating.
Tags:2 Peter 2:9, Bible, C.H. Spurgeon, Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, daily devotion, delivery, God, temptation
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