Word for Today, Thu, 21 Aug 2003: The Ministry of the Unnoticed

#1 · August 21, 2003, 1:52 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on August 21, 2003, 1:52 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's message comes from Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His
Highest devotional series. Usually I obtain my source for this
particular message from RBC Ministries, who also have an online
version of these messages. It turns out that there are a couple
of different translations of the Oswald messages, using either
the original text of his messages or a slightly modified version
that uses somewhat more contemporary wording. Today's edition
comes from the site www.myutmost.org/08/0821.html.

The message today is about the influences that come when we are
in a lowly and humble position. In some ways I feel that way
right now myself, so in that context, I'm willing to humble
myself even more. When I'm really honest with myself, I know
that there have been times when I've been "too full of myself".
If you were to honestly and privately assess your own attitude,
do you think you'd ever find yourself in a similar position.
(Unless you're already completely and 100% committed to Christ
at ALL times, I'd argue that almost everyone faces such
attitudes at one time or another

Dear Lord,

I am coming to You today, Lord, realizing my personal weakness,
unable to make the right choices without continual guidance and
direction from You. As I read Your Word, Lord, clarify what it
means in my heart, and in the actions that I take. Forgive me
for my ignorance, either forgetting or ignoring Your Word, which
You have made so clearly and completely available. Remind me to
read it, help me to digest and understand it, and help me to
live from it. Jesus Himself said that man does not live on
bread alone, but from every word that comes from the mouth of
God. He also told us that we are blessed when we are poor in
spirit, which means we are humble and ready to listen.
Therefore, allow me to read Your Word, remember Your Word, and
use Your Word in every area of my life. Thank You for making
Your Word accessible to me. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-//----------------------------
/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST
--/-----------------------------

August 21st.

THE MINISTRY OF THE UNNOTICED

"Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matthew 5:3

The New Testament notices things which from our standards do not
seem to count. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," literally -
Blessed are the paupers - an exceedingly commonplace thing! The
preaching of to-day is apt to emphasize strength of will, beauty
of character - the things that are easily noticed. The phrase we
hear so often, Decide for Christ, is an emphasis on something
Our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but
to yield to Him - a very different thing. At the basis of Jesus
Christ's Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the
commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know
I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then
Jesus says - Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty
that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good
man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.

The true character of the loveliness that tells for God is
always unconscious. Conscious influence is priggish and
un-Christian. If I say - I wonder if I am of any use - I
instantly lose the bloom of the touch of the Lord. "He that
believeth in me, out of him shall flow rivers of living water."
If I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.

Which are the people who have influenced us most? Not the ones
who thought they did, but those who had not the remotest notion
that they were influencing us. In the Christian life the
implicit is never conscious, if it is conscious it ceases to
have this unaffected loveliness which is the characteristic of
the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because
He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.

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

__________________________________
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Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's message comes from Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His
Highest devotional series. Usually I obtain my source for this
particular message from RBC Ministries, who also have an online
version of these messages. It turns out that there are a couple
of different translations of the Oswald messages, using either
the original text of his messages or a slightly modified version
that uses somewhat more contemporary wording. Today's edition
comes from the site http://www.myutmost.org/08/0821.html.

The message today is about the influences that come when we are
in a lowly and humble position. In some ways I feel that way
right now myself, so in that context, I'm willing to humble
myself even more. When I'm really honest with myself, I know
that there have been times when I've been "too full of myself".
If you were to honestly and privately assess your own attitude,
do you think you'd ever find yourself in a similar position.
(Unless you're already completely and 100% committed to Christ
at ALL times, I'd argue that almost everyone faces such
attitudes at one time or another

Dear Lord,

I am coming to You today, Lord, realizing my personal weakness,
unable to make the right choices without continual guidance and
direction from You. As I read Your Word, Lord, clarify what it
means in my heart, and in the actions that I take. Forgive me
for my ignorance, either forgetting or ignoring Your Word, which
You have made so clearly and completely available. Remind me to
read it, help me to digest and understand it, and help me to
live from it. Jesus Himself said that man does not live on
bread alone, but from every word that comes from the mouth of
God. He also told us that we are blessed when we are poor in
spirit, which means we are humble and ready to listen.
Therefore, allow me to read Your Word, remember Your Word, and
use Your Word in every area of my life. Thank You for making
Your Word accessible to me. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-//----------------------------
/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST
--/-----------------------------

August 21st.

THE MINISTRY OF THE UNNOTICED

"Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matthew 5:3

The New Testament notices things which from our standards do not
seem to count. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," literally -
Blessed are the paupers - an exceedingly commonplace thing! The
preaching of to-day is apt to emphasize strength of will, beauty
of character - the things that are easily noticed. The phrase we
hear so often, Decide for Christ, is an emphasis on something
Our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but
to yield to Him - a very different thing. At the basis of Jesus
Christ's Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the
commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know
I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then
Jesus says - Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty
that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good
man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.

The true character of the loveliness that tells for God is
always unconscious. Conscious influence is priggish and
un-Christian. If I say - I wonder if I am of any use - I
instantly lose the bloom of the touch of the Lord. "He that
believeth in me, out of him shall flow rivers of living water."
If I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.

Which are the people who have influenced us most? Not the ones
who thought they did, but those who had not the remotest notion
that they were influencing us. In the Christian life the
implicit is never conscious, if it is conscious it ceases to
have this unaffected loveliness which is the characteristic of
the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because
He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.

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

__________________________________
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Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
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