Posted on 01/30/2006 11:46:30 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but "when it pleased God, who separated me . . ." ( Galatians 1:15 ). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. "Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes." To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3 ).
In 1910 Chambers married Gertrude Hobbs. They had one daughter, Kathleen, who still resides in London (as of 1992).
In 1911 he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London, where he lectured until the school was closed in 1915 because of World War I. In October 1915 he sailed for Zeitoun, Egypt (near Cairo), where he ministered to Australian and New Zealand troops as a YMCA chaplain. He died there November 15, 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix.
My Utmost for His Highest, his best-known book, has been continuously in print in the United States since 1935 and in this, the last decade of the century, remains in the top ten titles of the religious book bestseller list with millions of copies in print. It has become a Christian classic. [from the flyleaf of the book]
Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.
I can attest from personal experience that reading from Chambers daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.
- Religion Moderator
I pray God will encourage others to continue the tradition by posting devotions or meditations, Scriptures or prayers, Bible studies or hymns.
: (
Why not start over then?
A SLEEPY GOODMORNING AND A APPOLOGY FOR MY FIRST POST.
MOST HAVE MORE BAPTIST KOOL-AID!
GRACE TO ALL BRETHREN!
"The Lord our Righteousness."
- Jeremiah 23:6
It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace,
to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints
of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think
they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are
some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the
heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go
a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It
is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should
wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is
made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though
distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many
things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in
the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ
hath done it all. On the cross he said, "It is finished!" and if it be
finished, then am I complete in him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier
people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's
righteousness.
When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on him solely for
salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in
Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought-"Shall I
not live to Christ? Shall I not love him and serve him, seeing that I am
saved by his merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they
which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which
died for them.
" If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted
righteousness.
C.H.SPURGEON
SOLI DEO GLORIA!
So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....and she will respond there as in the days of her youth. - Hosea 2:16,17
O Lord,
again and again it seems
you come calling us -
we,
who are so enamoured
of our own brilliance,
the flash of things,
the pleasures of our own toys,
the promise of our own power,
who deserve nothing
from you,
how often we
forget you,
run after the bright toys
that lead to our sorrow,
our loss,
our emptiness,
our death.
Lost in the desert,
we so often taste the dust
of our own shattered dreams,
the death of our own schemes,
the ashes of our own weakness.
And yet,
there, if we look,
we can see you,
calling our name.
There, if we listen,
we can hear the sweetness of your voice
saying, "Come, beloved,
let me heal your hurts,
let me soothe your pains,
let me love you."
There, in the desert,
you offer us shelter,
shade against the burning,
protection from the stinging sands,
forgiveness,
love,
acceptance.
"Return to me,
let me love you,
let me show you
peace,
joy,
truth," you whisper.
Lord,
without your call,
we would be truly lost indeed.
May each of us,
hearing your voice,
take your hand
and find shelter in your arms,
this day,
and always.
Amen.
Eternal God, both day and night are yours, and to you the darkness is no threat. Be present, we pray, with Alamo-Girl, whose labors in these hours of darkness are always on behalf of others. Grant her continued diligence in her watching, continued faithfulness in her service, courage in danger, and continued joy in her calling. Help Alamo-Girl to keep serving others with confidence and compassion and bless her by raising up others to assist her in this noble labor. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Thank you so much for your encouraging post, dear ThirstyMan!
Thank you so much for the beautiful Spurgeon devotion!
Reno
Thank you oh so very much for your prayer and blessing! May God ever bless you and your loved ones, dear TPartyType.
"This ends my year’s posting of the Chambers devotion"
You have blessed many, including me, with your faithful service.
H U G S ! !
Thank you oh so very much, dear Blurblogger!
Your Service to our Lord and your Love and Dedication to Him have Brought Him Much Glory, Thanksgiving, and Praise! Thank you, dear (((((((Alamo-Girl)))))))!
"Do You See Your Calling?"
"" . . . separated to the gospel of God. . . ""
"—Romans 1:1"
____________________________________________________________
Aptly titled devotional for today.
Alamo Girl, your diligence and devotion to the Oswald Chamber's daily thread is truly a gift of love. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It is amazing how at the end of the year we start over on the devotions; and each time we are in a different state of understanding and connection and being.
It is the unending wonder of God's word that makes it so. It is supernatural.
I read once that Andrew Carnegie, and Edgar Cassey read through the Bible every year of their life. A worthy goal.
One which requires discipline, dedication, devotion, diligence and determined perseverance.
May God strengthen those attributes in us. We serve a risen Savior that says "go and tell thy brethren." Love is the way, showing love, serving in love, being love. Let the mind be in us that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
That is Lovely, dear Countyline. Amen to your Prayer!
Alamo-Girl, I went looking for some Christian writing that spoke of devotion and dedication, as you have shown in posting these devotions, day after day. I found nothing exact, but I did find the following by Charles Spurgeon, which I really liked though I'm not sure it's relevant to today's devotional. Still, your devotion was a well chosen path, and speaks to keeping your gaze on God, and I offer this too you bearing all that in mind.
Running is not everything, there is much in the way which we select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level ground. How is it with my spiritual journey, am I labouring up the hill of my own works and down into the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions, or do I run by the plain way of "Believe and live"? How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith! The soul runs without weariness, and walks without fainting, in the way of believing. Christ Jesus is the way of life, and He is a plain way, a pleasant way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in this way, or am I hunting after another track such as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me? I read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I been delivered from proud reason and been brought as a little child to rest in Jesus' love and blood? If so, by God's grace I shall outrun the strongest runner who chooses any other path. This truth I may remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs. It will be my wisest course to go at once to my God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to this friend and that. He knows my wants and can relieve them, to whom should I repair but to Himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the plain argument of the promise. "Straightforward makes the best runner." I will not parlay with the servants, but hasten to their master."Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi."-2 Samuel 18:23
Thank you oh so very much for the encouragements, dear Kitty Mittens!
That is a beautiful Spurgeon devotion, AlbionGirl! Thank you so very much!
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