Quote from Forum Archives on April 27, 2001, 5:06 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Oswald Chambers, in his daily message from his well known
devotional book, "My Utmost For His Highest", asks the following
appropriate question: "What do you want?" As he probes into the
possible motives, responses, and answers to that question, I
believe he really touches the heart of our motives and God's
purpose for our lives.

I don't know about you, but as I consider that question and ask
things of God, I often realize where I am lacking, and where I
need to let go of various things, in order for God to continue
His work in me. It's obviously not God who is lacking anything
at all, for He spoke, and the world came into being. He spoke,
and the waters were formed. He spoke, and the waters
parted... and so on. Clearly, God can do anything, at any time.
So who is it that takes the time? It is not as if God is unable
to do anything at any moment. The truth is that it is me, who is
either not ready or not willing to take the next step.

Fortunately, for me, and for all of us, for that matter, God is
exceptionally gracious, and patient with every one of us. But
our agenda is almost certainly not God's agenda, unless our will
is completely surrendered to God - in which case, it really is
God's agenda, not yours or mine.

I think God gets great pleasure out of bringing blessings to each
one of us. But let's get real. Let's use our own children as an
illustration. Aren't we, as parents, eager to bless our
children, and, if possible, make them happy --- even when they
displease us? Yet, aren't we overjoyed when they respond by
loving and appreciating us?

I think that the ways of God are far above our own ways, but I do
think that as we look at our own children, we get a glipse of
what could be in the heart of God. So as God works out good
things in our lives, often things that we don't understand or
appreciate, and perhaps even some things that we resent - at
least now, consider that God has a plan for us, and ultimately,
His plan is that we may be one with Him.

Every time I get frustrated, either with myself or with others,
when I stop to consider the far better ways of God, I am stopped,
and my heart is, once again, transformed. Are you ready for yet
another transformation, so that God can bring you to the place
that He wants you to be? I am. Help me take that next step,
Lord, even if I don't think that I'm ready.

Brother Brian

www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/devo/utmost.shtml

April 27

What Do You Want?

"Do you seek great things for yourself?" (Jeremiah 45:5).

Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to
be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer
relationship with Himself than simply receiving His gifts -- He
wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is
only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us
anything incidental. There is nothing easier than getting into
the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek,
but only what He can give you.

If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have
never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what
surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on
your own terms. You protest, saying, "I asked God for the Holy
Spirit, but He didn't give me the rest and the peace I expected."
And instantly God puts His finger on the reason-you are not
seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself.
Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you..." (Matthew 7:7).
Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking
for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you
will cease asking for things altogether. "Your Father knows the
things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8). Then
why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him.

Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, "Oh,
Lord, completely fill me with your Holy Spirit"? If God does
not, it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there
is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask
yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God
always ignores your present level of completeness in favor of
your ultimate future completeness. He is not concerned about
making you blessed and happy right now, but He's continually
working out His ultimate perfection for you -- "... that they
may be one just as We are one..." (John 17:22).

Authorized By The Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd.

1997 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555-0001

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