Quote from Forum Archives on September 10, 2005, 3:57 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Fri, 09 Sep 2005: More on the previous passage.
Dear friends,

I never cease to be amazed by the concise manner in which
the late Oswald Chambers writes about matters of faith and a
personal relationship with God.

The passage in 2 Corinthians 10:5 deals with matters of
personal pride. Oswald Chambers deals with another aspect of our
relationship with God. So many times we get into this "service
kick" where we think we ought to do this or that for God. Well,
let me ask you this: When is the last time you asked God about
"this or that"? When is the last time you can honestly say you
got an answer back?

I can't tell you how many times I have done something of my own
accord. I really don't know how many times - countless times. I
also can't tell you how many times I have thought I have been
doing something for God, but deceived myself - not quite as
often, but quite often. How many times have I simply obeyed what
I know is true because it comes directly from God's Word? Well,
I won't be too hard on myself. I have done that, too, just not
as many times as I've tried to do things on my own. How about
you? In the quietness of your own privacy, how can you honestly
answer these questions? (Do you see why I say that Oswald really
describes matters concisely)?

Each day, therefore, as we have choices to make, let's make sure
that we know what the Bible has to say about attitudes, choices,
and principles, and let's endeavor to make decisions that would
please our Redeemer, so that He may proudly present us one day in
glory, for His own honor. Let's also endeavor to seek God before
we act.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

___________________________

-//-----------------------------------------------------------------
/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST -- www.heartlight.org/
--/------------------------------------------------------------------

September 9, 2005

DO IT YOURSELF

Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5
www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=2co+10:5&sr=1

This is another aspect of the strenuous nature of sainthood. Paul
says, "I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ."
(Moffatt.) How much Christian work there is to-day which has
never been disciplined, but has simply sprung into being by
impulse! In Our Lord's life every project was disciplined to the
will of His Father. There was not a movement of an impulse of
His own will as distinct from His Father's - "The Son can do
nothing of Himself." Then take ourselves - a vivid religious
experience, and every project born of impulse put into action
immediately, instead of being imprisoned and disciplined to obey
Christ.

This is a day when practical work is overemphasized, and the
saints who are bringing every project into captivity are
criticized and told that they are not in earnest for God or for
souls. True earnestness is found in obeying God, not in the
inclination to serve Him that is born of undisciplined human
nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints
are not bringing every project into captivity, but are doing work
for God at the instigation of their own human nature which has
not been spiritualized by determined discipline.

We are apt to forget that a man is not only committed to Jesus
Christ for salvation; he is committed to Jesus Christ's view of
God, of the world, of sin and of the devil, and this will mean
that he must recognize the responsibility of being transformed by
the renewing of his mind.

MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers //
=============================================================== /===
www.heartlight.org/devotionals/my_utmost /

--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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