Oswald Chambers

I started reading the complete works of Oswald Chambers, and I'm blown away by this man's wisdom. I don't want to forget what I learned from his first book: Approved by God so I'm gonna jot some notes /quotes down for future reference:


A Christian worker must never make this plea-"if only I were somewhere else" The only test that the worker is Christ's witness is that he never becomes mean from contact with mean people any more than he becomes sinful with contact with sinful people. (Mean refers to ordinary, common or low)

The worker chosen by God has to believe what God wishes him to believe, though it cost agony in the process; the worker who chooses to work for God may believe what he likes. It is the latter class who exploit the Bible.
pg 3

Of our own strength and Gods:
When I say I am too weak it means I am too strong; and when ever I say "I can't" it means "I won't"...
It is His work in my He is counting worthy, not my work for Him.
The overcoming referred to in the book of Revelation is not the personal overcoming of difficulties but the overcoming of the very life of God in us while we stand resolutely true to Him.
pg4
Religiosity
Beware of the piety that is not stamped by the life of god, but by the type of religious experience. Be absolutely and fiercely godly in your life, but never be pious. A "pi" person does not take God seriously, he only takes himself seriously, and one tremendous worship of his life is his experience.pg5

The Christian worker must be sent; he must not elect to go. Nowadays that is the last thing thought of; it is a determination on the part of the individual-"This is something I can do, and I am going to do it." Beware of demanding that people go into work, it is a craze; the majority of saved souls are not fit to feed themselves yet...The only way to be sent is to let God lift us right out of any sense of fitness in ourselves and place us where He will. The man whose work tells for God is the one who not only realizes what God has done for him but who realizes his own utter unfitness and overwhelming unsuitability-the impossibility of God ever calling me...Before God can use us as workers He has to bring us to a place of entire poverty, where we shall have no doubt as to where we are, "here I am, absolutely no good!" Then God can send us, but not until then. We put hinderances in the way of God's working by trying to do things for Him. The impatience of modern life has so crept into Christian work that we will not settle down before God and find out what He wants us to do. pg 8,9

Abandon
Abandon to the love of Christ is the only thing that  bears fruit. Personal holiness my easily step over into  sanctified Pharisaism, but abandon to the love of God will always leave the impression of the holiness and the power of God. pg 10
Is He going to help Himself to your life, or are you taken up with your conception of what you are going to do? God is responsible for our lives, and the one great keynote is reckless reliance upon Him.

The Cost of Discipleship
The Cross is the pain involved in doing the will of God.
Our cross is something that comes with the particular relationship of a disciple of Jesus Christ, it is the evidence that we have denied the right to ourselves. pg 16
Paul did not understand the Cross in order that he might receive the life of God; but by understanding the Cross, he recieved the life. Study the Cross for no other sake than God's sake, and you will be holy without knowing it.  pg18

Never allow in yourself of in others the phrase "I can't"; it is unconscious blasphemy...Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God. The people who say "I can't" are those who have a remnant of self-reliance left; a true saint never says "I can't", because it never occurs to him that he can!
pg19

The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers: (Includes CD-Rom) (OSWALD CHAMBERS LIBRARY)

Prayer Answered by Crosses

I read this poem the other day and felt like I could completely relate to the poet. I often ask God to make me holy or pray for deliverance of this or that sin, and find that my situation gets worse not better. I realize now that God doesn't work in the way that we expect him to work. If we are to live we must first die and if we are to be first, we must be last.

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

'Twas he who taught me thus to pray;
And he, I trust, has answered prayer:
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that, in some favoured hour,
At once he'd answer my request,
And by his love's constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

yea, more, with his own hand he seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
Wilt thou pursue this worm to death?
This is the way, the Lord replied
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I now employ
From self and pride to set thee free,
And break they schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may'st seek thy all in me.

"Prayer Answered by Crosses"
-John Newton

Poem on Suffering

I'm reading this amazing poetry book I purchased at an old bookshop in England written in 1910, and I came across a poem that fits with the theme I've been meditating on recently, that is, suffering.

Pain's Proof

I think man's great capacity for pain
Proves his immortal birthright. I am sure
No merely human mind could bear the strain
Of some tremendous sorrows we endure.

Art's most ingenious breastworks fall at length,
Beat by the mighty billows of the sea;
Only the God-formed shores possess the strength
To stand before their onslaughts, and not flee.

The structure that we build with careful toil,
The tempest lays in ruins in an hour;
While some grand tree that springs forth from the soil
Is bended but not broken by its power.

Unless our souls had root in soil divine
We could not bear earth's overwhelming strife.
The fiercest pain that racks this heart of mine,
convinces me of everlasting life.
Poems of Pleasure

Made perfect through suffering

"In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So that Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers."Heb 2:10,11

I read this today and was struck by the idea that Jesus had to suffer to be made perfect. Jesus was God and therefore he was perfect, but I think that this suffering was to prove Jesus' faithfulness and obedience to the father. If Jesus was made perfect through suffering, how much more must we suffer.

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Phil 3:10

The flower of adversity

I've been learning a lot about adversity, with Oswald Chambers as my coach. I'm beginning to see the usefulness of adversity, it is a diamond in the rough. I wouldn't really say this in the middle of it, but looking back and seeing the fruit of adversity, I'm beginning to see why God uses adversity in the lives of his Children to train them toward holiness. Here's something I read the other day in My Upmost for His Highest:

-The Habit of Enjoying Adversity

. . . that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body —2 Corinthians 4:10

We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.

You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).

Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you. -

This stings as much as it heals my heart, because I know I don't live up to it, but it also gives me hope. This morning the Pastor spoke about transforming the mind by the mercies of God. That when we meditate on the mercies of God, we begin to demonstrate the same mercies to those around us. In this way, the glory of God will shine in the world, when they see God's mercy through us. But to do this we need to trust God and keep thinking about what He did for us. I think that's why today's reading resonated so strongly with me:

The Habit of Rising to The Occasion

. . . that you may know what is the hope of His calling . . . —Ephesians 1:18

Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.

You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly—”By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . . .” Rise to the occasion—do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.

May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality—a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.

My Utmost for His Highest

Do not look back

I love putting in things I've read that have been an encouragement to me and spoken exactly what i needed to hear. This is from Come Away my Beloved by Frances J. Roberts

Behold, I have made you a nest in the hollow of My hand,

and you shall lie down and sleep.

Though the elements rage,

thought the winds blow and the floods come,

you shall rest in peace.

For you are precious in My sight, O My child.

I know you by name, for you are not the child of a stranger,

but the fruit of My own loins. Yes, I have begotten you,

I have called you by your name, and you are Mine.

Be not dismayed, for as I suffered,

so shall you suffer in the world.

I have not taken you out of the world,

but I am with you to help you and to encourage you, and to

give you strength in all you may be called upon to endure.

You face each new day with Me at your side.

(Never forget that I am there.)

You meet every difficult circumstance

with My arm outstretched to fight for you.

Do not lift your hand to attempt to accomplish any slightest

task in your own strength. THis I have forbidden.

God helps not those who help themselves,

but He is the champion of those who cannot help themselves,

and of those who are wise enough not to try.

It is not your cooperation for which I have asked,

but your submission.

Not that you go alone until you fall,

but that you draw upon My strength for every step-

both the smooth and the rough.

If you form the habit of trusting Me in the easy way,

you will find it the natural thing to lean upon Me

in the difficult situation.

And if I bring you through the river in summer,

you shall not fear to trust Me in flood tie.

So clasp you hand in Mine, and do not loosen you hold.

For you cannot tell what great thing I may do for you

through some small happening.

Your every hair is numbered,

and the most incidental occurrences of the most ordinary day

I delight to choose and use to reveal

My earnestness in helping you.

Clasp Me to your heart, for I love you with an everlasting love,

and with strong cords I have bound you.

Look not back, but look ahead,

for I have glory prepared for you.

Yes, when you look on my face

you will surely say that these present sufferings

are in no way comparable

to the glory I have in store for you.

Come Away My Beloved - original Edition

Moses con't

Last entry we left of with Moses' doubts and fears and God's sovereignty. I love this next part because just when you think you're beginning to figure God out, he throws you a curveball. It's probably one of the more puzzling accounts in scripture. After God approaches Moses and goes through all the trouble to assure him that He is in control, that He will be with Moses, the next thing we read is that God tries to kill Moses. Hahaha, I love it! Ex 4:24-26. I think this was put down in God's word for all the people who try and put God in a box and say, "God could not possibly do that". God is full of surprises. We should not be quick to predict what he will or will not do, we cannot assume we know God by what we hear about him, we are always at his mercy. We cannot discount his justice on account of His love. My understanding of this incident is that God tried to kill Moses to demonstrate his holiness-he will not tolerate a light attitude towards his ordinances and will. Moses also had to live to a higher standard because he was chosen by God to be a leader of his people, his mouthpiece, there is a need for him to be set wholly apart. What I wonder at is why Moses hadn't circumcised his son after he was born as he was suppose to. I'm guessing it had something to do with him being in a different land, separated from his people and his God. Circumcision, being a symbol of God's covenant with his people, wasn't really necessary if it felt like God wasn't there and that Moses was no longer with God's people. That's as far as I'm going to assume on this point, but it goes to show, there is so much to be learned even from two verses.