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Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers [December *25*, 2006]
My Utmost for His Highest (The Golden Book of Oswald Chambers; 1992) ^ | 1935/1992 | Oswald Chambers

Posted on 12/25/2006 3:34:07 AM PST by .30Carbine

His Birth and Our New Birth

" ’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son,
and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ’God with us’ "

Matthew 1:23

His Birth in History. ". . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" ( Luke 1:35 ). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.

His Birth in Me. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . ." ( Galatians 4:19 ). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a "Bethlehem" for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. "You must be born again" ( John 3:7 ). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that "Christ is formed" in me. And once "Christ is formed" in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.

God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.

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]


TOPICS: Ecumenism; General Discusssion; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: prayer; reflection; selfexamination
Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

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

1 posted on 12/25/2006 3:34:09 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: Religion Moderator; .30Carbine; 185JHP; 1lawlady; abigail2; al_c; Alamo-Girl; AlbionGirl; AlguyA; ..
Devotion ping!

God rest ye merry gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay!
Remember Christ our Savior was born upon this Day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray!
O tidings of Comfort and Joy!

2 posted on 12/25/2006 3:36:57 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: .30Carbine

3 posted on 12/25/2006 4:30:35 AM PST by DollyCali (Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
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To: .30Carbine

~Come Let Us Adore Him~

4 posted on 12/25/2006 5:16:54 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES.)
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To: MEG33; DollyCali

Love to you both!
God's Best to us at Christmas!

5 posted on 12/25/2006 5:24:13 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: .30Carbine

LOVELY graphic! Thank you. and I am sure you are glad this postal season is over for another year!

May you & yours have a great day.

gotta scoot..very busy day ahead here


6 posted on 12/25/2006 5:25:34 AM PST by DollyCali (Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your God is!)
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To: DollyCali; Mama_Bear

Mama_Bear made the graphic for me! I gotta scoot too! What Joy we SHARE this Day, this Bright Morning!


7 posted on 12/25/2006 5:27:01 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: .30Carbine

How beautiful, Carbine! Christmas Hugs.


8 posted on 12/25/2006 5:44:38 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES.)
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To: .30Carbine
Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it.

Sometimes I forget this.

"For to us a child is born, unto to us a Son is given, and the government shall be on His shoulders. And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Merry Chirstmas, ho ho ho!
9 posted on 12/25/2006 6:05:58 AM PST by Vision ("As a man thinks...so is he." Proverbs 23:7)
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To: Vision
Thank you so much! I reply and resound with verse 7 -

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end!
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever!
The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this!

10 posted on 12/26/2006 3:07:10 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: .30Carbine

Here's wishing you and everyone that posts to this list, a very Merry Christmas, as the celebration of Christ's birth continues and we head on to the New Year!


11 posted on 12/26/2006 10:00:37 AM PST by Ciexyz (I highly recommend "Apocalypto" - raves, raves, raves.)
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To: Ciexyz

Amen, and thank you!


12 posted on 12/27/2006 4:40:46 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: .30Carbine

There were some lovely graphics on this thread.


13 posted on 12/27/2006 8:58:07 PM PST by Ciexyz (I highly recommend "Apocalypto" - raves, raves, raves.)
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To: Ciexyz
Yes, and that's not common on the Reflections threads, which sets this one apart right there! The message for this day is also particularly lovely, being that of Christmas!
14 posted on 12/28/2006 1:12:44 AM PST by .30Carbine
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