Word for Today, Fri, 21 May 2004: Explaining Difficulties
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Oswald Chambers did not live a long life, but God used his words
in his short life to be direct, blunt, perhaps even "heavy
hitting", but hitting and reaching the mark right on.
Today's message is a very typical Chambers message, and once
again, Oswald speaks directly to me.
I pray these words speak deeply to your soul as they do to mine.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
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May 22
The Explanation For Our Difficulties
... that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in
Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us...
--John 17:21
If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all
alone, read John 17. It will explain exactly why you are where
you are-- because Jesus has prayed that you "may be one" with the
Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or
do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a
disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.
God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer
our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern
His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and
that is the prayer of Jesus-- "...that they may be one just
as We are one..." ( John 17:22 ). Are we as close to Jesus
Christ as that?
God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn't ask, "Do you
want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or
this defeat?" No, He allows these things for His own purpose.
The things we are going through are either making us sweeter,
better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more
critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way.
The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more
saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its
level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives,
"Your will be done" ( Matthew 26:42 ), then we will be encouraged
and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working
according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we
understand God's purpose, we will not become small-minded and
cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness
with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are
far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we
are one with Him-- because Jesus prayed, "... that they all may
be one..."
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/
=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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