Oswald Chambers

I thought this was so good today that I wanted to share it. BD

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven —Luke 10:20


Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7 ).

Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” ( Hebrews 2:10 ).

Inheritance

Did you know that we are Christ's inheritance?  "By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones)..."  Ephesians 1:18.  His inheritance is in us.

Have you ever received an inheritance?  Is there a family joke about what you hope NOT to get should someone die?  I received one once.  I had an extra set of grandparents in my life.  They were actually not related to us at all...but they were "chosen family."  I'd known them since I was 6 months old and we loved one another.  They left me their prized possession.  It was a china cabinet that my grandfather had made.  And it was....atrocious. ha!  I had no idea what to do with it.  It was handcrafted with a large scalloped (And I mean scalloped!) edge with a bad stain job.  In fact, I can't really remember what I did with it but my siblings loved that I got it!  I tried to give it to any of them but they insisted they knew MY name was on the back of it.  (I only wish I had time to tell you about my grandmother's cole slaw and my brothers...no wonder they weren't chosen for the prize!)

Now I know that Jesus doesn't feel about us like I did about that china cabinet.  But just knowing that I'm his inheritance throws a completely different weight on the idea.  How rich is His inheritance in me?

Seasons....

As spring was turning into summer this year, I made a conscious decision.  I wasn't going to complain about the summer.

Now...I'm not a summer person.  As a child, we didn't have sunblock lotion, so this little redhead usually looked like a burned clam.  And as a family, we lived at the lake all summer!  So not only did I get sunburns, I'd usually get water blisters, too.  We also didn't have Aloe Vera gel.  It's easy to see why I don't like the sun...or heat.

But as it began to get warmer this year, I noticed a growing trend on Facebook.  People were complaining.  They began to complain about the rain or storms in the spring and began to complain about the warmer weather.  It made me think of the children of Israel wandering in the dessert...murmuring and complaining.  So I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to participate.  I have my favorite seasons and absolutely love and enjoy them.  And I realized God created summer for those who felt the same about the sun and heat.  So I decided to grace them to enjoy what God had created especially for them.  And I wouldn't complain.

But this week....oh this week!  I've felt fall in the air!  And it's my absolute favorite season.  I got married in the fall.  I love everything about it---the cooler weather, the colors, the smell, the way the sun hangs in the azure blue sky---all of it!

And then comes winter.  It's also my friend.  Please, please don't complain about the snow this year.   Grace me---because I'll be enjoying it!

Seducing Spirits & Doctrines Demons Teach

1 Timothy 4:1-2


"But the [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared..."

Have you been seduced lately or know someone who has?  Have you heard a doctrine which demons teach through a hypocrite or liar whose conscience is seared?  Have you even met one of those hypocrites or liars and recognized their seared conscience?

Beware!!  These things will turn you from the faith.  Seriously.  Beware.

Captives

This morning, I met with my prayer partners.  We began talking about the thoughts we were battling in our minds.  And we all were.  Battling, that is.

JP made the comment that she had begun stopping and praying when those thoughts came in.  And then she said this, "That's captivity."  She was referencing II Corinthians 10:3-6.

I instantly had a picture in my mind!  (See above.)  We're either prisoners of our thoughts or our thoughts are the prisoners.  They either hold us captive or we hold them captive.  Who's going to be the captive--me or the enemy (the source of most of those thoughts)?

Are you going to be a prisoner to your thoughts or are you going to make your thoughts the prisoner? 

I'm sorry I'm so repetitive, but it's a HUGE thought!  The Bible says in I Timothy 4:1 that there will be seducing spirits in the last days.  We have to be able to discern Truth from lies.  We have to be walking in the Spirit to be able to discern.  Whenever a thought comes into your mind that accuses you, examine it!!  Is it Truth??  Or is it a lie?  Are you harboring an offense?  Then make that thought a prisoner.  Forgive where forgiveness is needed.  Pray for that person who has taken residence in your mind.  Bless them. 

I'm thinking I'll give these hostages to Jesus.  He'll know what to do with them.

First Day of School

Matt, Zach, Amy & David

With everyone posting photos of their children's first day of school, my mind went back...well, lots of years ago.  Here's a run-down of my 4 kids' first day of school.

Matt
Took him to kindergarten and he grabbed the door frame and wouldn't go in.  The teacher began to gently pull on him to get him in...while I was pushing.  We finally broke his grip and Andy & I made a quick dash out....only to get out to the car and find Matt running after us.  Process repeated.

Amy
Took her to kindergarten with perfectly curled hair and an adorable dress.  She skipped down the hall and told her dad & I to stay where we were...she knew the way to her class.  And off she went!

David
Took him to kindergarten and only made it half-way down the hall when he balked.  His principal (a friend from church) saw David start crying and took him into a broom closet to talk to him.  (I know...what????)  He finally came out and made it into the classroom.

Zach
Took him to kindergarten and he went pretty willingly, considering he knew lots of kids in his class.  I walked through a crowd of crying  mothers and got in my car and yelled, "YESSSSSSS!!!  All 4 kids in school!"  And then my friend and I planned a celebration lunch together with our husbands which became a tradition for the next 13 years.

Black-eyed Bride

How reprehensible is this photo?  You just don't see many photos of a bride with a black eye.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it?  What would you think if I told you that she did this to herself...right before her wedding?  I'm sure you'd be like me and ask, "Why????"

And I'd agree with you.  Why would a bride give herself a black eye...right before the biggest day of her life?  I'm sure we have the answer if we think a bit.  Why would a bride...

Exactly.  Why are we...the bride of Christ...not only giving ourselves a black eye, but beating each part of our body to a bloody pulp?

Answer that, and I think we have the answer to the photo above.

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." Revelation 19:7