Being Proven - Streams in the Desert

February 28

"There he proved them" (Exod. 15:25).

I stood once in the test room of a great steel mill. All around me were little partitions and compartments. Steel had been tested to the limit, and marked with figures that showed its breaking point. Some pieces had been twisted until they broke, and the strength of torsion was marked on them. Some had been stretched to the breaking point and their tensile strength indicated. Some had been compressed to the crushing point, and also marked. The master of the steel mill knew just what these pieces of steel would stand under strain. He knew just what they would bear if placed in the great ship, building, or bridge. He knew this because his testing room revealed it.

It is often so with God's children. God does not want us to be like vases of glass or porcelain. He would have us like these toughened pieces of steel, able to bear twisting and crushing to the uttermost without collapse.

He wants us to be, not hothouse plants, but storm-beaten oaks; not sand dunes driven with every gust of wind, but granite rocks withstanding the fiercest storms. To make us such He must needs bring us into His testing room of suffering.

Many of us need no other argument than our own experiences to prove that suffering is indeed God's testing room of faith.
--J. H. McC

***

It is very easy for us to speak and theorize about faith, but God often casts us into crucibles to try our gold, and to separate it from the dross and alloy. Oh, happy are we if the hurricanes that ripple life's unquiet sea have the effect of making Jesus more precious. Better the storm with Christ than smooth waters without Him.
--Macduff

***

What if God could not manage to ripen your life without suffering? 

Morning Prayer

Make me a captive, Lord,
And then I shall be free;
Force me to render up my sword,
And I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms
When by myself I stand;
Imprison me within thine arms,
And strong shall be my hand.

George Matheson

Our Misgivings About Jesus | My Utmost For His Highest

Our Misgivings About Jesus | My Utmost For His Highest:

"My misgivings arise from the fact that I search within to find how He will do what He says. My doubts spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, I should bring them into the light and confess them openly— “Lord, I have had misgivings about You. I have not believed in Your abilities, but only my own. And I have not believed in Your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”" - Oswald Chambers

Talk about being brutally honest with yourself! I can quote several partial verses here to drive home a point about our pride, self and so on... Truth is we struggle daily with self - our own ability to succeed without any one's assistance. The truth is without God's divine intervention in our lives, we'd be a bigger mess that we are already!

Choosing to be dependent on God for all we need, will need and desire places our heart and life completely where it belongs - in God's (our creator's) hand! When we accept that God does in fact have the perfect plan for our life, we will begin to experience the fullness of life. We will begin to drink from the deepest well with total refreshment.

The well of Christ never runs dry, His bounty is without end and His grace without measure! What an awesome place to find ourselves!!!

Be BLESSED Always!

The Destitution of Service | My Utmost For His Highest

The Destitution of Service | My Utmost For His Highest:

"being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God. It was Paul’s delight to spend his life for God’s interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost." - Oswald Chambers

In our life today, we've become too accustomed to this life of ease. Meaning, we look at the "security" of our job, a comfortable house to live in, a car to drive..... it's a great life... Maybe too great! Paul lived his life day to day, slept where his work for God took him and worked to earn enough for his needs so as to not be a burden to those he ministered to daily.

What I'm saying is that we've grown satisfied with a life of ease, too much ease and here's the stumbling block to many. Given this easy life, how much more difficult is it to live by faith, real faith in God? How much more difficult is it to serve on another?

Are we willing to become "destitute" for the glory of God? It's a hard question, maybe. I believe that God has awesome things in store for His children. All He asks of us is that we love Him with all our heart, soul and mind; our neighbors as ourselves. To serve HIM in spirit and truth, and to acknowledge HIM in ALL our ways.

Where we are today, is where HE has called us to be today. Tomorrow maybe someplace new. With eternity as the measuring stick for life, I would offer the reminder that this is a short trip.

Be BLESSED Always

The Delight of Sacrifice | My Utmost For His Highest

The Delight of Sacrifice | My Utmost For His Highest: "We have no right in Christian service to be guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13). I don’t throw my life away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in other people."

Deliberately putting the heart of Christ before my own.... What could ever be greater that sharing and showing Christ's love in me to the world around than to put my personal desires aside and embrace the desires of God. Namely, that all who see me are drawn to Christ and that those who interact with me are likewise drawn to the joy and peace found in service to God's plan.

May our Father grant us the desire of HIS heart to reach a lost and dying world!

Be BLESSED Always!!!

The Determination to Serve | My Utmost For His Highest

The Determination to Serve | My Utmost For His Highest

"But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another." - Oswald Chambers

We will grow weary in this life as we minister to each other and to the lost.  "You were tired out by the length of your road, yet you did not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewed strength, therefore you did not faint." (Isaiah 57:10) When Christ was here in the flesh, HE provided example after example for us to live by in this regard.  HE poured Himself completely into everyone and ultimately into you and me.


Click the link and read Chambers' devotion.  Be encourage and blessed always!!!

Taking the Initiative Against Despair | My Utmost For His Highest

Taking the Initiative Against Despair | My Utmost For His Highest:

"But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, “Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing.” In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him."

How hard we are pressed to quit when we miss the mark or opportunity! The accuser comes running as if he just dropped everything to take full advantage of our moment of failure. With all he has the assault begins, tearing at the gapping wound that is our confidence, determination and will to get up and carry on in Faith and Forgiveness. No he wants to keep us down and work to change our belief, to doubt.

Never doubt God's forgiveness, His plans will not be ruined and His goals for your life and mine destroyed! Did we miss, yes. Will it cause issues beyond that which we may ever know, yes. STILL, He is faithful and He will see HIS work through to completion. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesian 2:10 NASB)

Be Blessed Always

Taking the Initiative Against Depression | My Utmost For His Highest

Taking the Initiative Against Depression | My Utmost For His Highest: "But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone. As soon as we arise and obey, we enter a higher plane of life."

Often, just the step of obedience is all that's required to move from depression back to the place of God's grace, love and peace. This is where we are able to see clearly what we need to learn. All of life is growth, at least this is what I believe we're to do daily. Grow in grace, grow in love, grow in His strength and most important of all....GROW CLOSER to HIM!

Be BLESSED today.

When Grace Goes Deep by Max Lucado

Ask yourself this question as you read this devotion, "Am I sharing our Father's grace with those around me or am I carrying a bully stick?"

The prodigal son trudges up the path. His pig stink makes passersby walk wide circles around him, but he doesn't notice. With eyes on the ground, he rehearses his speech: "Father"—his voice barely audible—"I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not worthy to be called your son." He rehashes the phrases, wondering if he should say more, less, or make a U-turn to the barnyard. After all, he cashed in the trust fund and trashed the family name. Over the last year, he'd awakened with more parched throats, headaches, women, and tattoos than a rock star. How could his father forgive him?Maybe I could offer to pay off the credit cards. He's so focused on penance planning that he fails to hear the sound of his father...running!

The dad embraces the mud-layered boy as if he were a returning war hero. He commands the servants to bring a robe, ring, and sandals, as if to say, "No boy of mine is going to look like a pigpen peasant. Fire up the grill. Bring on the drinks. It's time for a party!"

Big brother meanwhile stands on the porch and sulks. "No one ever gave me a party," he mumbles, arms crossed.

The father tries to explain, but the jealous son won't listen. He huffs and shrugs and grumbles something about cheap grace, saddles his high horse, and rides off. But you knew that. You've read the parable of the gracious father and the hostile brother (see Luke 15:11-32).

But have you heard what happened next? Have you read the second chapter? It's a page-turner. The older brother resolves to rain on the forgiveness parade. If Dad won't exact justice on the boy, I will.

"Nice robe there, little brother," he tells him one day. "Better keep it clean. One spot and Dad will send you to the cleaners with it."

The younger waves him away, but the next time he sees his father, he quickly checks his robe for stains.

A few days later big brother warns about the ring. "Quite a piece of jewelry Dad gave you. He prefers that you wear it on the thumb."
"The thumb? He didn't tell me that."
"Some things we're just supposed to know."
"But it won't fit my thumb."

"What's your goal—pleasing our father or your own personal comfort?" the spirituality monitor gibes, walking away.

Big brother isn't finished. With the pleasantness of a dyspeptic IRS auditor, he taunts, "If Dad sees you with loose laces, he'll take the sandals back."

"He will not. They were a gift. He wouldn't...would he?" The ex-prodigal then leans over to snug the strings. As he does, he spots a smudge on his robe. Trying to rub it off, he realizes the ring is on a finger, not his thumb. That's when he hears his father's voice. "Hello, Son."

There the boy sits, wearing a spotted robe, loose laces, and a misplaced ring. Overcome with fear, he reacts with a "Sorry, Dad" and turns and runs.

Too many tasks. Keeping the robe spotless, the ring positioned, the sandals snug—who could meet such standards? Gift preservation begins to wear on the young man. He avoids the father he feels he can't please. He quits wearing the gifts he can't maintain. And he even begins longing for the simpler days of the pigpen. "No one hounded me there."

That's the rest of the story. Wondering where I found it? On page 1,892 of my Bible, in the book of Galatians. Thanks to some legalistic big brothers, Paul's readers had gone from grace receiving to law keeping.

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.... (Gal. 1:6-7)

Joy snatchers infiltrated the Roman church as well. Paul had to remind them, "But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work" (Rom. 4:5).

Philippian Christians heard the same foolishness. Big brothers weren't telling them to wear a ring on their thumb, but they were insisting "you must be circumcised to be saved" (Phil. 3:2).

Even the Jerusalem church, the flagship congregation, heard the solemn monotones of the Quality Control Board. Non-Jewish believers were being told, "You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us" (Acts 15:1 NCV)

The churches suffered from the same malady: grace blockage. The Father might let you in the gate, but you have to earn your place at the table. God makes the down payment on your redemption, but you pay the monthly installments. Heaven gives the boat, but you have to row it if you ever want to see the other shore.

Your deeds don't save you. And your deeds don't keep you saved. Grace does. The next time big brother starts dispensing more snarls than twin Dobermans, loosen your sandals, set your ring on your finger, and quote the apostle of grace who said, "By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10 NKJV)

Spiritual Dejection

From Oswald Chamber: My Utmost for His Highest

07

2011

We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened —Luke 24:21

Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today “the third day” and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God’s power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 1-3; Matthew 24:1-28

When Do We Praise

"And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me" (John 11:41).

This is a very strange and unusual order. Lazarus is still in the grave, and the thanksgiving precedes the miracle of resurrection. I thought that the thanksgiving would have risen when the great deed had been wrought, and Lazarus was restored to life again. But Jesus gives thanks for what He is about to receive. The gratitude breaks forth before the bounty has arrived, in the assurance that it is certainly on the way. The song of victory is sung before the battle has been fought. It is the sower who is singing the song of the harvest home. It is thanksgiving before the miracle!

Who thinks of announcing a victory-psalm when the crusaders are just starting out for the field? Where can we hear the grateful song for the answer which has not yet been received? And after all, there is nothing strange or forced, or unreasonable in the Master's order. Praise is really the most vital preparatory ministry to the working of the miracles. Miracles are wrought by spiritual power. Spiritual power is always proportioned to our faith.
--Dr. Jowett

***

PRAISE CHANGES THINGS

Nothing so pleases God in connection with our prayer as our praise, and nothing so blesses the man who prays as the praise which he offers. I got a great blessing once in China in this connection. I had received bad and sad news from home, and deep shadows had covered my soul. I prayed, but the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, but the darkness only deepened. Just then I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: "Try Thanksgiving." I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return. Yes, the Psalmist was right, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."
--Rev. Henry W. Frost 

What Drives You To Pray?

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 12


I know in my own life my prayer life has ebbed from time to time, been intense at other times and then on balance a part of my life.  I suspect that many Christians can relate to some or all of these.  Sadly, when we have a crisis in this life, we fall to our knees and seek God as a lost friend who can and will make life better.  Truth is God never leaves us and He always has the best plans for our life.


Trials do come our way to draw us closer to Him.  Truth is even with a dedicated prayer life like Christ, Daniel, David or Paul, the trials will still come.  Prayer isn't necessary for God, but for us.  In prayer, we are drawn close to the heart of our Lord and Savior.  In prayer the Holy Spirit is able to intercede for us and even teach us how to pray.  How many times have you felt that you just didn't know what to pray for or who?  It's during these times that we're drawn closer into deeper intimacy with God our Father.


The saints of the church during the first years were persecuted in ways that we can't begin to understand or imagine were it not for the accounts recorded in history.  Still, we don't fully grasp the whole truth of it all.  Even the accounts of apostles' beatings, imprisonments, and deaths don't seem to strike the full weight of it.


This I know, without a committed prayer life, we cannot and will not ever know the richness of God's care for us.  Nor will we be ready should the time come that we are persecuted for His name sake.  Little trials, moments of indecision, and poor choices will plague our life and rob us of the joy given to us right this moment.


Christ spent a great deal of time alone in prayer.  Often slipping away for a time of solitude to draw near to His Father.  Christ endured all that we will possibly face in this life with complete victory!  We either choose to follow His example or suffer loss.  His way leads us to the heart of God and to the place where we too can say, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." (Psalms 46:1) 


I pray that you and I will enter into a new desire, a desire to draw closer everyday to the heart of God.  So close that we'll see the trials of life as opportunities to exalt God plainly for all to see, while we become less.  God has provided a way that is right and good, I choose to follow the narrow path and to rely on His direction for the path to follow.


Be Blessed Always

The Call of God | My Utmost For His Highest

The Call of God | My Utmost For His Highest:

"We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints."

Waiting for Spring

Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

When was the last time you wondered if spring would ever come? Not in the ironic sense - really wondered if winter might last forever, something like the 100 years of winter in Narnia. My guess is never. Most of America lives in the reality of four seasons, and expect the Earth to naturally cycle from winter to spring to summer to fall. We expect trees to unfurl new leaves this time of year because they'resupposed to.

But what if they didn't? What if the trees bloomed in winter when their new leaves would freeze, or what if their flowers matured into hornets' nests instead of apples? What if they didn't bloom at all?

In his autobiographical work, Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton remembers his journey from agnosticism to faith including such nonsensical questions. Before he became the great 20^th century apologist, he was a man confined to the world of determinism, where the natural world was governed by impersonal laws or nothing. But observing spring outside his window, he was struck by the wonderful fact that for some reason, trees do indeed bloom into fruit.

"They talked as if the fact that trees bear fruit were just as necessary as the fact that two and one trees make three. But it is not... You cannot imagine two and one not making three. But you can easily imagine trees not growing fruit..."

"I had always vaguely felt facts to be miracles in the sense that they were wonderful: now I began to think them miracles in the stricter sense that they were willful. I mean that they were, or might be, repeated exercises of some will. In short, I had always believed that the world involved magic: now I thought that perhaps it involved a magician." (Orthodoxy)

I owe Chesterton a great debt, because he taught me amazement at everyday grace. After all, how often do we marvel that the sky is blue (or grey) instead of orange or electric pink? Yet again, familiarity breeds contempt, and we forget what incredible world this "magician" made and keeps in order. Like children who see the same magic trick one too many times, we stop wondering "how did he do that?" and are bored until we see something new.

I use the term "magician" loosely - Jesus didn't feed the 5,000 just to wow the crowd. But I wonder that we lose our wonder of this world, even in its fallen state. As Paul writes in Romans, the evidence of God's incredible, "eternal power" and transcendent, "divine nature" is right in front of our eyes. How do forget a God so great that He makes trees bloom?

As I wait for spring to return to Virginia, I can't help but look outside and be amazed. To paraphrase Chesterton, the fact that grass is really green - and so perfectly suited for picnics and frisbee - truly is a miracle, a supernaturally guided fact. What an awesome God.

Intersecting Faith & Life: When was the last time you took a look outside? Consider that "the heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 8:1) and the Earth is the work of his hands. Are you properly inspired to worship their Creator?

The Fruit Comes Afterward

Have you asked to be made like your Lord? Have you longed for the fruit of the Spirit, and have you prayed for sweetness and gentleness and love? Then fear not the stormy tempest that is at this moment sweeping through your life. A blessing is in the storm, and there will be the rich fruitage in the "afterward."
--Henry Ward Beecher

"Away with our Fears and Sorrows"

The Ancient of Days
Redeems a lost race:
His glory comes down
Self-humbled to carry us up to a crown.
Made flesh for our sake,
That we might partake
The nature divine,
Again in His image, His holiness shine.

Charles Wesley