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Today's Devotion with Oswald Chambers': The Great Probing!
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 9th. (http://www.myutmost.org/07/0709.html - broken link)
Joshua 24:19-24
But Joshua said to the people, "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God: He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good."
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the Lord!"
So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him."
And they said, "We are witnesses!"
"Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel."
And the people said to Joshua, and His voice you will obey!"
Unless you experience a radical change of heart. He will not forgive refers to Israel's actual violation of the covenant and practicing of idolatry. The sense evident in v.20 is "will not tolerate." Commitment is not just lip service; it demands a way of life.
The vv. 21-24 represent ancient Israel's greatest hour spiritually. In our lives also there is no greater hour than when we make the commitment: The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice we will obey.
*********************
Have you the slightest reliance on anything other than God?
Oswald Chambers' meditation......
If we will really believe.
No wonder Jesus Christ lays such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. "And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Matt. 13:58)
If we really believed that God meant what He said, what should we be like!
Dare I really let God be to me all that He says He will be?
Mark 9:24
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."
Jesus will always answer this prayer for giving faith!!
Today's Devotion with Oswald Chambers': The Great Probing!
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 9th. (http://www.myutmost.org/07/0709.html - broken link)
Joshua 24:19-24
But Joshua said to the people, "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God: He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good."
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the Lord!"
So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him."
And they said, "We are witnesses!"
"Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel."
And the people said to Joshua, and His voice you will obey!"
Unless you experience a radical change of heart. He will not forgive refers to Israel's actual violation of the covenant and practicing of idolatry. The sense evident in v.20 is "will not tolerate." Commitment is not just lip service; it demands a way of life.
The vv. 21-24 represent ancient Israel's greatest hour spiritually. In our lives also there is no greater hour than when we make the commitment: The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice we will obey.
*********************
Have you the slightest reliance on anything other than God?
Oswald Chambers' meditation......
If we will really believe.
No wonder Jesus Christ lays such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. "And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Matt. 13:58)
If we really believed that God meant what He said, what should we be like!
Dare I really let God be to me all that He says He will be?
Mark 9:24
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."
Jesus will always answer this prayer for giving faith!!
Blessings
Amen . Did you know that Oswald leans towards UR .
Today's Devotion with Oswald Chambers': The Spiritual Sluggard.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 10th. (http://www.myutmost.org/07/0710.html - broken link)
Hebrews 10:24-25 24. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Christians need each other. We must diligently encourage one another to show love through good works. We help other to be faithful to Christ by regularly assembling together and by exhorting one another.
During this time some Christians were not attending worship and fellowship, perhaps because they feared persecution or because the falsely though they could go it alone.
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Should we go alone? Or come together with others who are like minded, spurring one another on as the day approaches. Growing in our faith, encouraging, helping and learning from one another.
Oswald Chambers' meditation:
The note struck in Hebrews 10 is that of provoking one another and of keeping together - both of which require initiative, the initiative of Christ-realization, not of self-realization. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the antipodes of spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.
Acts 2:42
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
~The fivefold result of the conversion and steadfastness, doctrine, fellowship, eating together, and prayers. The Christian church had been born.
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Originally Posted by Latte'Chic
Today's Devotion with Oswald Chambers': The Spiritual Sluggard.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 10th. (http://www.myutmost.org/07/0710.html - broken link)
Hebrews 10:24-25 24. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Christians need each other. We must diligently encourage one another to show love through good works. We help other to be faithful to Christ by regularly assembling together and by exhorting one another.
During this time some Christians were not attending worship and fellowship, perhaps because they feared persecution or because the falsely though they could go it alone.
*****************************
Should we go alone? Or come together with others who are like minded, spurring one another on as the day approaches. Growing in our faith, encouraging, helping and learning from one another.
Oswald Chambers' meditation:
The note struck in Hebrews 10 is that of provoking one another and of keeping together - both of which require initiative, the initiative of Christ-realization, not of self-realization. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the antipodes of spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.
Acts 2:42
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
~The fivefold result of the conversion and steadfastness, doctrine, fellowship, eating together, and prayers. The Christian church had been born.
Blessings
Another quote from the July 10th devotional caught my eye:
We utilize God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things are effects and we try to make them causes. [emphasis added]
"We do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him." Wow! It seems to me that most false teaching comes from a desire to enjoy Christ, not to realize Him and all His attributes and lessons. Those who are embroiled in false teaching fail to realize that their enjoyment of Christ (the effect) should come from knowing Him (the cause). Instead, they formulate a picture of a Christ they enjoy (the cause) and mold Him, His Word, and His teachings to fit their needs (the effect). Can you see how backward this is?
One mark of false teaching is an unwillingness to meet with other Christians face to face. Many people who cling to false teaching justify their separation from other Christians as being "separated from the world." Others want to be with likeminded people. Yet others leave because they have been "enlightened" and no longer feel comfortable in a traditional church setting. However, by sequestering themselves from other Christians, their darkness isn't exposed to the light; their views can't be analyzed and challenged; and they aren't exposed to the discipline of the church body. When they are separated, iron can't sharpen iron (which can be a painful process). Rather, they are content to enjoy Christ, not to realize Him.
Yes, God's people are to be a separate people--separate from the world, not separate from one another.
Another quote from the July 10th devotional caught my eye:
We utilize God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things are effects and we try to make them causes. [emphasis added]
"We do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him." Wow! It seems to me that most false teaching comes from a desire to enjoy Christ, not to realize Him and all His attributes and lessons. Those who are embroiled in false teaching fail to realize that their enjoyment of Christ (the effect) should come from knowing Him (the cause). Instead, they formulate a picture of a Christ they enjoy (the cause) and mold Him, His Word, and His teachings to fit their needs (the effect). Can you see how backward this is?
One mark of false teaching is an unwillingness to meet with other Christians face to face. Many people who cling to false teaching justify their separation from other Christians as being "separated from the world." Others want to be with likeminded people. Yet others leave because they have been "enlightened" and no longer feel comfortable in a traditional church setting. However, by sequestering themselves from other Christians, their darkness isn't exposed to the light; their views can't be analyzed and challenged; and they aren't exposed to the discipline of the church body. When they are separated, iron can't sharpen iron (which can be a painful process). Rather, they are content to enjoy Christ, not to realize Him.
Yes, God's people are to be a separate people--separate from the world, not separate from one another.
Amen....Blueberry!
There is another side to this coin in what you are speaking about and not just false teaching but there are those also who are even now in the church who have compromised fallen into the same spirit and want a feel good Jesus. Rather then really knowing Him and the truth of His love.
They have fallen from their first love and turned back to the fleshes deception of the enjoyment of self.
They too are looking for make me feel good and wanting a Jesus that makes them happy, happy and please don't up-set the apple cart. Fear of not being liked if one speaks the truth to those who have sin in their lives.
They say Jesus is love....yes, He is about love, yet His love speaks the truth to one who is walking in that wrong direction.
And yes, when one confronts the one in sin there is going to be angry feelings because of the guilt. And it will pour out toward the one who is rebuking that brother. It is the sin that hates the truth not that brother. Sin wants to keep one in the bondage that is lying to them. But God's love will not leave one there.
This one is looking also for the feel good Jesus.....instead of really knowing Him. I believe when we really know Him we will stand up and speak to that one who is hurting them selves in their deception.
Jesus told the Pharisees that they were stopping those from going into the kingdom by their ways.....which is no different from one who is sitting back and watching a brother flirt with sin or who does have sin in their lives and not saying anything about it.
Confrontations are never pleasant....but the end results is that if one listens to the rebuke from their brother we have turned a brother back from a multitude of sin.
I would rather take the moments of discomfort in sharing the truth with that brother then to spend eternity knowing that I never said anything to them. For the fear of loosing my so called reputation, popularity, what would other's think about me syndrome just make me happy. A false peace!! It is so selfish, its all about me rather then thinking who Jesus really is about to my brother.
Blessings
PS.....There is one person in this forum..... that I am so thankful for that the Lord used in my moment of compromise who doesn't care about what other's think or say and will rebuke you and make you face your self deception. And to grasp the truth God is rebuking you and renounce the sin of compromise and turn back to where we have fallen.... and you know who you are. Once again thank you for the rebuke because of my fear of getting into trouble!
Last edited by Cyber Munchkin; 07-11-2009 at 06:57 AM..
Today's Devotion with Oswald Chambers': The Spiritual Saint.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 11th. (http://www.myutmost.org/07/0711.html - broken link)
Philippians 3:10 10. That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.
Paul sharply contrasts the excellency of knowing Christ with the comparative worthlessness of everything else.
The ultimate goal realized by every Christian is to know Christ. When we know Him, we are enabled to live a new life by the power of His resurrection (Rom. 6:4). But we also suffer some trials because we follow Him. Being conformed to His death the Christian who has died with Christ to sin must make that death to sin a continuing reality in their daily life.
****************************
The aim of the spiritual saint is "that I may know Him." Do I know Him where I am today?
Oswald Chamber' meditation:
If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realize myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realization that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.
Galatians 2:20 20. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
A testimony worth memorizing and modeling. The old "I" who lived in sin under the law is dead, and the new lives in Christ or rather, Christ lives in him. '
Flesh here refers to the whole range of earthly life. All in whom Christ lives, live in union with the Son of God through faith.
Blessings
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