Month: January 2009

So many things going on today! First thing—before you ever roll over to get up—I will be at Laced with Grace! (Treasure Finder!)

Then—I am setting out to pay my friend Gina a visit! (Chats with an old lady!)….and then I’ve got to head in to work. . . .all I can say at this point…girl–I am glad Friday finally arrived!

I did my devotions in my Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest”…for this week. I put a couple of them online. I cannot begin to tell you how the Lord has affected my life by what I have read!

One thing I want to share from the 7th of January. I have been chewing on this—it is speaking to place in my heart where I need it. “Intimate with Jesus” is the title of the day. Oswald makes a statement that really blew me away.

“Friendship is rare on earth. I means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ.”…then at the close he says, “The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity* that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.”

An unhindered way in each of our lives is exactly what Christ Jesus wants from each heart! By giving Him full control—we are allowing Him to fully show up and as Beth Moore frequently says, “show off” in our lives! Having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ—as His Bride reminds me of the way we were (Jeff and me) as newlyweds. Constantly thinking of things to delight the other. Wanting to spend every single minute together. Since he worked off-shore then, time was extremely valuable to us! (Still is!) Christ wants us to long for Him as we do the love of our lives! He is, in fact, the Only One who is the purest Love. He is “Love”.

Have you ever thought of the relationship with Jesus as His Bride? That is something I have thought of many times over the past few months. I desire a spotless gown! Pristine White! I am determined to do all I can—everything—and everywhere He leads!

One thing I discovered in my book vs. the book depicted in the picture. Mine is from the original text of Mr. Chambers. The old way of speaking. It takes a bit more chewing sometimes. The one I found on Christian Book Distributors, in case you are interested, is a more up-to-date language style. Same devotions, yet easier to understand. But you know, I think the Lord meant me to chew. I have told Him that I want to KNOW HIM MORE. Reading, meditating on His word, and conversing daily, even moment-by-moment is the only way to fully know Him more!

I hope and pray you have a blessed Friday—a gloriously peaceful weekend and thank you—for stopping by my place for a visit! You have no idea how much I appreciate my friends and sisters in Christ!

Be sure and head over to Laced with Grace (don’t forget the give-away) and Gina’s place! So much to do!

*After next week, I will share what this meant to me this week. Are you in suspense? Good. I am too!

Sometimes it begins with the smallest–most simple act on our part.

While driving down the road to work each day—I look at the sky. The painting of the colors —even in the cloud formation takes my breath away!

And I worship.

I tell Him how magnificent it all looks to me. I marvel at the sculpting of the mountains when I visit there. I smile at the ocean’s waves as they roll in and out from the shore. The things that God has created takes my heart to a place of worship when I stop long enough to realize—-He did this for our enjoyment!

Every star—every color of the rainbow—it’s for us. For US! He certainly didn’t need it–I mean look at the details of His Kingdom in Heaven! But He has created this place for US—to enjoy while we live our days here—and it’s a place where we can freely worship. Him. The Creator of it all!

In the bustling busyness of our days—take time to worship Him. You will be amazed at the difference it will make in your day. Abraham did. Genesis 12:8 is the verse Oswald Chambers uses today.

“And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.” (NKJV) With Bethel as the symbol of communion with God and Ai the way of the world—Abraham pitched his tent between the two—I like to think, with his face set toward God and his back on the world. He carried on the traditions that had been set before him. Worship and offerings to God.

I read a book years ago called “Job’s Niece”, by Grace Livingston Hill and in the book, the characters, the mom and dad returned to the ways of their own parents after having to deal with many family disturbances brought about by leaving God completely out of their day-to-day living.

They neglected worship.

So every evening they had their children sit down after dinner in the living room and the father read to the children from the Bible. They returned to the ways of worshipping God. Of course the teens balked at this, but were obedient, albeit with very sulky faces. However, Grace Livingston Hill, wove the story around until the situation righted itself as one by one the teens and children alike all turned their hearts and minds to Jesus Christ.

Deliberate worship. Daily worship. From the sincere heart is a offering of sweet incense to the Father!

Sometimes when I’m driving it begins with a simple word. Hallelujah! Over and over I may say it out loud! AND with much feeling—and when I do—when I put my whole heart and soul into expressing my gratitude to Him—-He FLOODS my heart and soul right back with a washing with tears and a cleansing and readying for my day…the day He blessed me with.

It makes all the difference in my day. When I am deliberate about my worship.

Join me?

You sing your song to Him, I’ll sing mine. He will love them both!!

“Lord”, Simon Peter said to Him, “where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.” (John 13:36 Holman CSB) Oswald Chambers uses the KJV and I love the way it reads…“but thou shalt follow Me afterwards.” Afterwards.

Girls, I just have to tell you—today’s words has brought the tears to the forefront. Stuck in my throat and threaten to burst as a waterfall. Maybe it’s partly due to the post I finished tonight called “Letter from Heaven“. But I also believe that once again—the Lord has confirmed to me that this book—this devotional tool, was the correct one for this year. Words I spoke today—BEFORE I ever opened this book are on this page. (If you have the book—read today!)

Following Christ Jesus has been my determined path for some time. More determination than before, however, lit my heart afire this past year. Actually, the fire began rising higher in 2007.

Between the first calling of “Follow Me” from Jesus to Peter to the second calling was one of the “blank spaces”. What Peter did in his blank space is, I’m afraid what happens in many of our lives in our blank space. Chambers’ words, “Between these times Peter had denied Jesus with oaths and curses, he had come to the end of himself and all his self-sufficiency, there was not one strand of himself he would ever rely upon again, and in his destitution he was in a fit condition to receive an impartation from the risen Lord.” Sound familiar?

It does to me. For I found HIM only at the end of myself. Realizing I had no power to change any circumstance of my life…but He had all power. As Chambers closes this page, his words ring true and fresh tears sting. “There is only one lodestar in the life now, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Lodestar. Guiding star. Point of reference. My trusty dictionary.com says this about lodestar:

1. a star that shows the way.
2. Polaris.
3. something that serves as a guide or on which the attention is fixed.

Today, where is your attention fixed? Are you at the end of your abilities? You will never find the end of His. Without Him, we have no ability, but Jesus said four times in the Gospels, “with God all things are possible…..”….”If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.”….”With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”…..”And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee”….(Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23; 10:27; and 14:36)

What are you believing Him for? Are you at the “afterwards of your blank space?”…are you looking at the horizon and feel the end of yourself? That is where I found Him. At the very end of me. No longer self-sufficient…but God is sufficient for me.

Today—is the beginning —not of the New Year, for that day has come and gone, but it is the beginning of new studies—new reading—fresh moving of the LORD!

The picture above has absolutely nothing to do with what the topic is today. But I believe he’s a cutie pie—and he is so proud to be 7 years old!

As 2008 was ebbing out and 2009 was on the horizon, I had started thinking about what devotional book I would use for my devotions this year. I had several to choose from and I had used a gift book from mother last year written by Beth Moore, “Breaking Free Day by Day.” This year I wanted one to “write in”. I knew—the LORD had one particular devotion in mind. I believe that for all aspects of our lives. When we leave the choice with Him—He chooses the best.

I pulled out a couple of different “women’s devotionals” from my shelves that had been given as gifts over the past few years. They had not been written in before, mostly because I didn’t take the “time” to set out on a yearly journey of learning in one particular book—and the other part—I never could decide.

With the 90 Day’s with the One and Only completed before Thanksgiving—I sat back and reflected over those 90 days. I needed them. I learned through them. I was fed in a way during that study—that even going to church Sunday after Sunday had not accomplished for me. Why? This study was One on one. My personal—private tutoring with the One and Only. Jesus.

I wanted more of that. My heart craved it. I want in depth study. Not just surface stuff. I need what will get me through the tough days. I find it in His Word.

So. Back to my dilemma. Which one. Well—as I turned the first pages of several books—I found a special one among some books that had been given to me after Wanda passed away. Only fitting that this year—one of her books lead me to a closer walk with Him. It is none other than “My Utmost for His Highest Journal” by Oswald Chambers. Yes, I know. You’ve probably already read it. But I haven’t.

I have to tell you this, after I made my selection, I wandered back over the shelves in my study and found another Women’s Devotional which Wanda had given me in 2000. I had received another one just like it and had saved it. I briefly toyed with the idea of changing my mind over my choice…but something beckoned me to Mr. Chambers writings.

I don’t “peek” ahead to the days in the book. I want it to be a surprise. So, if you are a regular reader, you will be joining me on my surprises as I find nuggets just for me, from the Master amid the pages penned by Oswald so many, many years ago.

I will begin with sharing today. The fourth of January. I won’t go back to the first of the month on the blog—but if you have the book—read them for yourself. I just have to say—God hit me between the eyes with the very first day. And just when I started wondering if I had made the right book choice—He let me know without a doubt—I had. This was it! The second day’s readings came on the heels of a statement made by Jeff that morning. I didn’t get a chance to do the devotion until that night…and boy-howdee—did it EVER speak to my heart!!

John 13:37 “Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now?” A question of timing. Oswald leads off with this statement, “There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do.” (Been there??) “When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait.”

The blank space. How many times have we tried to fill in the blank areas? Like the silence in the room that you don’t know what to do with—sometimes, though, silence is the best choice. The blank spaces of our lives are for a reason. Sometimes to prepare us for “something”…other times—it may be used as a “rest” from something. I’ve had some blank spaces. We run around thinking—this doesn’t “feel” right. God simply says—wait child. I have something here I want you to “get.” Get it?

Oswald Chambers makes another statement—I would have sworn my mother made up! “Whenever there is doubt—don’t. Never run before God’s guidance.” You will find trouble every time.

There is much meat to chew on in the Word. Take some time and read that chapter (John 13). I am actually reading about Saul’s troubles when he started doing things on his own in 1 Samuel. Pray before you begin your reading. Ask the LORD to open up His word to you. Reveal things to your heart that needs attention. Kind of like “cleaning out closets” at home—I have been working on that too!

I pray that you have a blessed day—and come on back and share with me what you are learning!