Quote of the Day

"It is not the passing of the years that matures the life of the Son of God in us, but obedience." - Oswald Chambers

Surrender. Obedience. Attack.

Surrender. Obedience. Attack. 

I've decided that you can learn a lot if you're willing to pay attention to detail. Especially in the Bible. Recently, I read through Psalm 40. It's an amazing Psalm, but I noticed something this time that I'd never noticed before. There's an order in how it is written. Specifically throughout verses 6-13, as we see David's heart poured out before God. 

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." (Psalms 40:6-8) 




Surrender:  It is almost impossible for God to do anything with someone who isn't surrendered to do His will. David knew this. God didn't want Sacrifice and burn-offerings. He didn't even want sin-offerings. He wanted complete surrender. God is not a tyrant. He won't force Himself upon you. Does He allow things in our lives to get our attention? Absolutely. He lovingly draws all men. But forced love is not love at all. Forced obedience is not service, but slavery. The surrender of our wills to His lordship is not something He demands...but something He asks. It is given. And when we get real with God, when we humble ourselves, when we repent before Him, when we realize just who we are and who He is, we can say like David, "Lo, I come...and..."I delight to thy will". 

 After the first nuclear bombing on Japan, near the end of World War II, Japan sought for "conditional surrender". However, these terms were not accepted and the United States of America insisted upon "unconditional surrender" or further destruction. This was proven by the 2nd nuclear bomb that hit Japan, for which afterward, Japan unconditionally surrendered. I think sometimes this is like us with God. The Bible says that we cannot serve two masters. But we try to. We come to God with "conditional surrender". (Lord, I surrender, but _________.)  But conditions with surrender are not acceptable terms to God. He desires "unconditional surrender". 


Obedience: To say that we are surrendered to God, and yet, we do nothing that He says... means, in fact, we truly aren't surrendered to God. We are most certainly lying. We may not know that we are lying...but in truth, we are. The book of James makes this very clear. We may very well be self-deceived. This is why it is important to ask God to search our hearts continually.

And after David came in surrender to Christ, after he told the Lord that he delighted to his will... God took him up on it. And what do we see?

"I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation." (Psalm 40:9-10)

I am amazed by the things David declares in these verses. He preached righteousness. (As woman, we aren't given the liberty to "preach" exactly, but proclaiming righteousness isn't necessarily just seen through what we might consider "traditional preaching", but also through our actions and daily lives.) David refrained not his lips. He spoke out. He witnessed. He was bold in proclaiming truth. He declared the faithfulness of God. He declared the salvation of God. He concealed not the Lord's lovingkindness. In other words, he loved people. David also said that he had not "hid the Lord's righteousness within [his] heart." He extended it to others. This really stood out to me. A lot of Christians today are content to keep God for themselves. They "hide Him", if you would, within their own comfort-ability and houses. But not David. And this is all said of the person God said before, was a "man after his own heart". This is all said, right after David surrendered to do the Lord's will. 


Attack: 

"Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me." (Psalm 40:11-13)

When you submit yourself to God. When you set out to do His will. When you are serious about righteousness. When you set out to actively obey Him. Be sure of it. You WILL be attacked. Sometimes, it takes us by surprise...but it shouldn't. Satan is a deceitful and ruthless enemy. He sets out to destroy. He isn't interested in playing games. He isn't okay with you being a light in darkness. He isn't happy about sincere and real Christianity. But, this shouldn't stop us. We shouldn't allow it to discourage us! God is so much greater! 

I've never experienced more spiritual attack in my whole life than I have this past year. It is a very REAL thing and it can take many different forms. David describes some of them here in these verses. Innumerable evils. Iniquities (sins), to the point that he isn't even able to look up to God. This one is the most subtle and shocking when it comes. Also known as, condemnation. I've seen over and over again, when you step out in obedience to serve God, your past sin creeps in to haunt you, to condemn you, to discourage you. Sometimes, it is just seeing your flesh for what it truly is (wretched) ...and allowing it to make you feel worthless and hopeless and unable to be of any use to God. This isn't the spirit of Christ. God already KNEW who you were before you suddenly became aware of it yourself. Your sin isn't shocking to Him. He knew. He knows. But sometimes it is shocking to us. Maybe because we are self-deceived into thinking that we really weren't as bad as the Bible made us out to be. But your sin isn't the biggest problem to God. He already paid for it on the cross of Calvary. He has already forgiven you, if you accept that forgiveness. But Satan loves to back us into a corner that cripples us to any action. He wants you to give up. He wants you to feel worthless. He wants to, as he subtly did to Eve, get us to doubt that God really loves us and has the best in store for us. Satan, in any way he can, wants to distract you from looking towards God. If he can simply get you to take your eyes off Christ and place them on yourself...he's won a victory. Because it's when we look at ourselves, we either become proud or discouraged and are therefore hindered in our work for God. David knew what it was to have your heart fail you. And it came after he set out in obedience to God. Don't be surprised when the enemy sneaks in to attack you in any way he can. Instead, be ready. Seek God. Through submission and resistance, he will flee. David said, "make haste to help me". If we are on God's side...than it stands true that He is on our side too. 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;" (Psalm 46:1 and 2)

I'm learning to be encouraged, instead of discouraged, when attack comes beating down. Because, it means God is doing something. That Satan has a reason to be afraid. And God certainly won't leave you alone. He wants you to submit to His good will. He wants to use you for His kingdom, more than you know. 

Quote of the Day

"You are seeking your own will, my daughter. You are seeking some good other than the law you are bound to obey. But how will you find good? It is not a thing of choice; it is a river that flows from the foot of the Invisible Throne, and flows by the path of obedience. I say again, man cannot choose his duties. You may choose to forsake your duties, and choose not to have the sorrow they bring. But you will go forth, and what will you find, my daughter? Sorrow without duty- bitter herbs, and no bread with them."

(George Eliot, Daily Strength for Daily Needs p. 297)

Quote of the Day

"If God requires anything of us, we have no right to draw back under the pretext that we are liable to commit some fault in obeying. It is better to obey imperfectly than not at all. Perhaps you ought to rebuke some one dependent on you, but you are silent for fear of giving way to vehemence; -or you avoid the society of certain persons, because they make you cross and impatient. How are you to attain self-control, if you shun all occasions of practicing it? Is not such self-choosing a great fault than those into which you fear to fall? Aim at a steady mind to do right, go wherever duty calls you, and believe firmly that God will forgive the faults that take our weakness by surprise in spite of our sincere desire to please Him."

Jean Nicolas Grou, Daily Strength for Daily Needs p. 256

Quote of the Day

"It is impossible for us to live in fellowship with God without holiness in all the duties of life. These things act and react on each other. Without a diligent and faithful obedience to the calls and claims of others upon us, our religious profession is simply dead. To disobey conscience when it points to relative duties irritates the whole temper, and quenches the first beginnings of devotion. We cannot go from strife, breaches, and angry words, to God. Selfishness, an imperious will, want of sympathy with the sufferings and sorrows of other men, neglect of charitable offices, suspicions, hard censures of those with whom our lot is cast, will miserably darken our own hearts, and hide the face of God from us."

(H. E. Manning, Daily Strength for Daily Needs p. 253)

Quote of the Day

 “We mustn’t be in a hurry to fix and choose our own lot; we must wait to be guided. We are led on, like the little children, by a way that we know not. It is a vain thought to flee from the work that God appoints us, for the sake of finding a greater blessing to our own souls; as if we could choose for ourselves where we shall find the fullness of the Divine Presence, instead of seeking it where alone it is to be found, in loving obedience.”

(George Eliot, Daily Strength for Daily Needs p. 177)

Quote of the Day

Surely the truth must be, that whatsoever in our daily life is lawful and right for us to be engaged in, is in itself a part of our obedience to God; ...Whensoever we hear people complaining of obstructions and hindrances put by the duties of life in the way of devoting themselves to God, we may be sure they are under some false view or other. They do not look upon their daily work as the task God has set them, and as obedience due to Him. We may go farther; and say, not only that the duties of life, be they never so toilsome, and distracting, are no obstructions to a life of any degree of inward holiness; but that they are even direct means, when rightly used, to promote our satisfaction."   H. E. Manning

(In Daily Strength for Daily Needs P.76)

A Willing Heart, with a Ready Mind, through an Open Door

Spiritual Lessons

A Willing Heart, with a Ready Mind, through an Open Door

“God will use what you prepare.” I heard that recently in a message I was listening to. It really struck me. I think sometimes we can be lazy with our time and become complacent with the abilities God has given us. We can be guilty of giving little to no thought or effort to the preparation of important things- and expect somehow a good result when the time comes. At least, I know I am. I believe, as Christians, we should have a higher standard. 

Luke 12:48 says- “...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

Also, I Corinthians 4:2- “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

If the Lord desires to use us, as He does, for His glory and the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ, wouldn’t it just be wise, to be ready? If I was asked to sing a special next Sunday, wouldn’t it be smart to practice? Or if I needed to fix something, to make sure I had all the right tools? I wouldn’t avoid culinary skills in the kitchen and then start working in a four-star restaurant. There is wisdom in being ready for what the Lord wants you to do.

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (II Timothy 1:6-7)

“Nothing is small or great in God’s sight; whatsoever He wills becomes great to us, however seemingly trifling, and if once the voice of conscience tells us that He requires anything of us, we have no right to measure its importance. On the other hand, whatever He would not have us do, however important we may think it, is as nought to us. How do you know what you may lose by neglecting this duty, which you think so trifling, or the blessing which its faithful performance may bring? Be sure that if you do your very best in that which is laid upon you daily, you will not be left without sufficient help when some weightier occasion arises. Give yourself to Him, trust Him, fix your eye upon Him, listen to His voice, and then go on bravely and cheerfully.” (Jean Nicolas Grou- “Daily Strength for Daily Needs” P.24)

Faithfulness in the little things, that can often be overlooked, is very important. Because even though it may feel a “small thing”- it is equally of the same importance to Him. We cannot deem anything small, that He deems of great importance, even when men do. The Lord told me, not long ago, that He wanted me to learn the piano. I don’t honestly know for what reason, He didn’t give one. He didn’t have to. But I know He has a good reason for it. Somewhere, sometime, someday, He wants to use that ability. To neglect it, would be disobedience. It would also be throwing away an opportunity to be used of the Lord in a way I don’t know of yet. And it would not only affect me, but others also. What blessing may we be forfeiting, what opportunity lost? Anytime the Lord has asked something specifically of me, I’ve always been glad I listened and gave it. He is a master planner and knows what I do not. He is trustworthy as He is worthy of all we are and all we possess. However, this doesn’t even include the idea of natural talents and abilities He has given to us, which can either be sad nothingness or gateways of opportunity for Him. What a blessing it might be if we were to develop our natural, God-given abilities and talents. For some, it could be musical talent or artistic ability. A gift for learning languages or writing books. Maybe even certain personality traits or physical differences. The list is endless as it is personal. Often times, He’s given us even those little desires of our hearts for a good reason. Not that “every desire” we have is a good desire. But the desires that are from Him. (Psalms 37) And Philippians 2:13 says- “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” So if it is true, that the more we prepare the more He is able to use, why aren’t we preparing?

“It is by doing our duty that we learn to do it. So long as men dispute whether or no a thing is their duty, they get never the nearer. Let them set ever so weakly about doing it, and the face of things alters. They find in themselves strength which they knew not of. Difficulties which it seemed to them they could not get over, disappear. For He accompanies it with the influences of His blessed Spirit, and each performance opens our minds for larger influxes of His grace, and places them in communion with Him.” (E. B. Pusey, “Daily Strength for Daily Needs” P.22)

I Peter 3:15 says- “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

The Lord has commanded us to be ready to give an answer for the hope that lieth within us. There is nothing “optional” about that verse. We are told to be ready. Recently, the Lord gave me a special opportunity to witness to someone. As my family was traveling down to California, we all took our designated seats on the airplane. It wasn’t a very full flight and only maybe ¾ or so of the seats were actually taken. So I made my way to 15B. My sister sat beside me. And then, “Cindy”. A middle-aged woman with short sandy-blond hair and a very sad and lonely, but independent, feeling about her. Here were all these empty seats… but the Lord had her sit in 15C. And He had a reason. I didn’t feel very social or talkative, but we started up a conversation regardless. Mostly small chit-chat at first. She was a very lonely person. Experienced “life” to the fullest meaning of the word and found it wanting. She was curious. She listened. She asked questions. So for over 2 hours I talked and witnessed to her. She believed in a “god” (basically a higher power of some sort or religion), but knew nothing about Jesus. I was struck by the realization that people literally don’t know. And I know that many are willingly ignorant, but others, have honestly never heard. Hurts my heart. So I laid out the gospel from the beginning. I shared my personal testimony. She could tell there was something different about me. She remarked how she knew she didn’t have what I had. She admitted that she was a sinner, but still was trusting blindly in a “good vs. bad” heavenly scale. This was when my sister joined our conversation. I’ve never seen someone with so much conviction with nowhere to go. But the more His Spirit brought conviction, the more she seemed to listen. I was thankful for that. In the end, I gave her a “DONE book”. (A short little book that explains the gospel really well.) She was interested enough to tell me that she’d read it. And although I may never see “Cindy” again in this life- I honestly suspect that I maybe will in the next.

“…and be ready always to give an answer.” I believe the biggest part to being “ready” to share Christ with someone is in knowing Him personally for yourself. It is easy to talk about someone you love. To tell someone about a person you know. I've never hesitated to tell anyone that I have a physical earthly father. Because I know him. I believe another important part to being “ready” is simply by being willing. When we are completely surrendered to Him and filled with His Spirit, He delights to open the doors, to bring someone into your life or along the way in His timing. Seeds can be sown. Hearts can be stirred. Souls can be saved. I know that if we asked- we’d receive. And if we dared to knock, He’d open the door. I am amazed and blessed at how often He gives me the words to say. It wasn't something I rehearsed of myself. When we depend on Him, He’ll give us the courage needed and our words can be His words. And with this dependence, came a confidence and a boldness I hadn't experienced before. I wasn't afraid, because I knew He was with me. I didn't feel a panic to think of the right response to a question. He gave the answers. He wants to talk to that lost soul more than I do and He knows just how to do it. It is His Spirit that draws. In a way, witnessing feels like jumping off a dock into deep, cold, and unknown water, just to find that there is really a solid rock on which to stand just beneath you all along. The initial jump is the hardest. One more thought that comes to my mind with being “ready”, is literal preparation. I was encouraged by how much scripture I actually knew without thinking about it. Knowing your Bible, studying and memorizing scripture, and even reading good books are all good ways to prepare.

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, … Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (I Timothy 4:12-16)

Philippians 4:13 says- “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” We have everything we could ever need in Christ, in His strength. When He asks us to do something, He gives us the power to do it. If there is a lesson to be learned, He’s the best teacher. If He wants us to develop a certain useful skill or simply practice what we already know, He gives the ability. He’ll go before us. He promises to make a way, even in the wilderness.

Hannah W. Smith once wrote- “If He commands me to do a thing, I am sure He will give me the power of His Spirit to do it. His commands are not grievous, we are told, but surely they would be grievous if we were unable to obey them. It would have been grievous if God had commanded the children of Israel to go in and possess the land of Canaan, and knowing they were unable to do it, had not intended to supply them with power. But, in fact, His very command was the reason why they should have no fear in undertaking what He had told them to do.”

(“God is Enough” P. 138)

What is it you already know God has asked you to do? What aren’t you preparing for? Will you have a willing heart? A ready mind? And in doing so, allow Him to open the doors of blessed opportunity.

Quote of the Day

"Is not this steadfastness to mark, to make, the character of your lives? Is it not God's will that we should press steadily on to our goal in obedience to Him, in channels of His choosing, whether in sunshine or shadow, in the cheer of spring or in the chill of winter, neither detained by pleasure nor deterred by pain?" Mrs. Charles E. Cowman